121 


v  *r 


THE  DRAFT  RIOTS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

JULY,    1863. 


-♦+ 


THE 


METROPOLITAN  POLICE: 


THEIR  SERVICES  DURING  RIOT  WEEK. 


THEIR, HONORABLE  RECORD 


BY 


DAVID    M.    BARNES. 


NEW  YOEK: 

BAKER    <fc    GODWIN,    PRINTERS    AND    PUBLISHERS, 

PRINTING-HOUSE  SQUARE,  OPPOSITE  CITY  HALL. 

1863. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1863,  by 

DAVID  M.  BARNES, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


To  the  Board  of  Police  Commissioners — Messrs.  Acton  and 
Bergen — Superintendent,  Inspectors,  and  the  Officers  and  Mem- 
bers of  the  Metropolitan  Police  of  the  City  of  New  York,  this 
compilation  is  i  respectfully  inscribed.  It  affords  Historical 
Record  of  the  excellence  of  the  organization,  of  its  fidelity, 
bravery,  and  efficiency. 

DAVID  M.  BARNES. 

New  York,  Sept.,  1863. 


270637 


PREFATOEY 


-*-♦«♦- 


The  following  compilation  is  a  record  of  facts  relating  to  the  opera- 
tions of  the  Police  during  the  memorable  "  Riot  Week,"  embracing  an 
account  of  the  riots,  and  scenes  and  incidents  connected  therewith. 
The  articles  were  prepared  for  the  New  York  Times,  and  are  reprinted 
nearly  as  therein  appearing. 

The  riots  commenced  on  Monday  morning,  July  13,  and  were  not 
entirely  suppressed  until  the  following  Friday.  The  only  protection 
the  city  had,  on  the  outbreak,  was  the  Metropolitan  Police, — all  the  regu- 
larly organized  militia  regiments  being  off  in  the  service  of  the  Govern- 
ment. 

The  riot  which  commenced  on  the  first  day  of  the  Draft  was  osten- 
sibly in  opposition  to  it,  but  early  took  the  character  of  an  outbreak  for 
the  purposes  of  pillage,  and  also  of  outrage  upon  the  colored  population. 
For  the  first  three  days  business  in  the  city  was  almost  entirely  suspend- 
ed, the  railroads  and  omnibuses  ceased  running,  the  stores  on  Broadway, 
the  avenues,  and  throughout  the  greater  portion  of  the  city  were  closed, 
and  prowling  gangs  of  ruffians  rendered  it  unsafe  to  walk  the  streets. 

The  services  of  the  Metropolitan  Police,  officers  and  men,  during 
Riot  Week,  won  for  them  the  admiration  and  confidence  of  the  com- 
munity. Never  did  men  meet  an  emergency  so  fearful  with  more 
promptness,  unanimity,  and  courage,  and  never  was  hazardous  and  pro- 
longed duty  discharged  with  more  willingness  and  fidelity.  There  was 
no  flinching  or  faltering  in  any  quarter,  and  to  their  courageous  and 
unaided  efforts  on  Monday  and  Tuesday  can  be  attributed  the  safety  of 
the  more  valuable  portions  of  the  city.     The  riot  broke  upon  them  un- 


6  PREFATORY. 

expectedly,  and  when  they  were  the  only  force  to  meet  it ;  rallying  on 
sudden  warning,  they  did  meet  it,  and,  by  their  well-concerted  action, 
their  speedy  movements,  and  their  determined  assaults  upon  the  mobs 
in  the  different  localities,  they  gave  the  rioters  no  time  to  correctly 
estimate  their  own  strength  or  properly  estimate  the  weakness,  at  the 
time,  of  the  authorities.  Had  it  not  been  for  this,  there  is  scarce  a 
doubt  that  the  greater  excesses  which  were  in  contemplation,  the  raid 
into  the  lower  portions  of  the  city,  the  pillaging  visit  to  Wall  Street 
and  the  Government  buildings,  would  have  been  consummated,  and  a 
period  of  destruction,  plunder,  and  carnage  have  ensued  to  an  extent  most 
fearful,  and  to  which  what  did  occur  would  have  been  as  nothing. 

On  Tuesday  afternoon  the  police  were  strengthened  by  the  military, 
and  then  commenced  exemplary  work  with  the  rioters  ;  on  all  but  two 
or  three  occasions  the  military  fired  directly  into  the  mobs,  and  with 
deadly  effect.  The  number  killed  by  the  police  and  the  military  in  the 
different  conflicts,  when  alone  and  united,  can  never  be  ascertained ;  it 
is  estimated  by  those  who  witnessed  the  terrible  scenes,  and  have  the 
best  opportunity  of  judging,  at  from  four  hundred  to  five  hundred.  The 
bodies  of  those  killed  on  the  spot  were  hurriedly  taken  off,  and,  in  many 
cases,  conveyed  out  of  the  city,  or  secreted  here  and  privately  buried. 
Cases  of  subsequent  deaths  from  wounds,  it  is  known,  were  attributed  to 
other  causes.  Eighteen  persons  are  known  to  have  been  killed  by  the 
rioters,  eleven  of  whom  were  colored. 

The  number  of  buildings  burned  by  the  mob,  from  Monday  morning 
until  Wednesday  morning,  was  over  fifty, — among  them  the  Colored 
Orphan  Asylum,  two  Police  Stations,  three  Provost  Marshal's  Offices, 
and  an  entire  block  of  dwellings  on  Broadway. 

A  large  number  of  stores  and  dwellings  were  sacked,  though  not 
burned,  and  their  contents  destroyed  or  carried  away.  The  aggregate 
amount  of  property  destroyed  and  stolen  amounts  to  upwards  of  one 
million  two  hundred  thousand  dollars. 


THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE. 


Tlieir   Services   during   tlie   Riot  Week, 

JULY,   1863. 


THEIR  HONORABLE  RECORD. 


The  acts  of  the  Inspectors,  a  record  of  which  follows,  and  their  com- 
mands, were  all  conducted  under  the  direction  of  the  Police  Commis- 
sioners. The  legal  organization  of  the  Board  invests  the  Superintendent 
with  the  command  of  the  force,  the  Commissioners  acting  in  an  admin- 
istrative capacity.  In  the  absence  of  the  Superintendent  the  command 
is  assigned  to  the  President  of  the  Board,  and  thus  the  duties  of  Mr. 
Kennedy,  who  early  on  Monday  morning  was  disabled  by  the  rioters, 
were  assumed  by 

COMMISSIONER  THOMAS   C.  ACTON 

with  the  promptness,  intelligence,  and  energy  which  characterize  him. 
The  labor  during  the  first  four  days  was  immense,  and  some  estimate  of 
it  may  be  formed  by  the  fact  that,  in  the  telegraphic  department  alone, 
there  were  upward  of  four  thousand  dispatches  received  and  orders  sent, 
all  of  which,  with  but  few  exceptions,  required  the  personal  supervision 
of  Mr.  Acton.  These,  it  must  be  remembered,  were  only  a  fraction  of 
the  many  matters  requiring  his  attention.  He  was  not  out  of  the  office, 
save  on  official  business,  and  then  but  briefly,  during  the  first  five  days 
of  the  week — the  duration  of  riot  and  its  symptoms— and  had  no  sleep 
from  six  o'clock  Monday  morning  until  two  o'clock  on  Friday  morning. 
He  then  lay  down  for  the  first  time,  'getting  two  hours'  rest.  The  posi- 
tion of  affairs  was  one  as  important  and  as  critical  as  that  on  a  field  of 
battle  ;  time  of  as  much  value ;  sagacity  and  decision  as  necessary.  Up- 
ward of  two  thousand  men  under   his   control,  constant  emergencies 


8  SERVICES  07  THE  "METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

arising  in  all  sections  of  the  city,  immediate  action  required  on  informa- 
tion received,  and  five  minutes'  delay  leading  to  disaster,  Commissioner 
Acton  was  equal  to  his  situation,  exhibiting  wonderful  powers  of  en- 
durance, and  a  coolness,  activity,  and  vigor  which  on  every  occasion  led 
to  success ;  these  were  the  more  noticeable  from  the  fact  that,  as  Su- 
perintendent ex-officio,  his  post  was  a  new  and  untried  one,  full  of  the 
gravest  responsibilities.  He  assumed  it  suddenly,  met  all  the  trying 
emergencies  promptly  and  sagaciously,  won  the  confidence  of  the  com- 
munity, and  covered  himself  with  honor  by  the  results. 

Fortunately,  between  the  military  acting  with  them  and  the  police 
entire  unanimity  prevailed,  and  orders  wherein  the  two  were  required 
were  obeyed  with  alacrity  and  with  concert  of  feeling  and  purpose.  It 
is  worthy  of  note  that  every  expedition — large  and  small  there  were 
over  fifty — sent  out  by  Commissioner  Acton,  whether  of  the  police 
singly,  or  the  military  and  police  conjoined,  was  successful,  beating  and 
dispersing  the  mobs,  and  saving  lives  and  property ;  in  short,  fully 
accomplishing  the  purposes  for  which  they  were  dispatched.  To  Com- 
missioner Acton  are  our  citizens  indebted  in  a  large  degree  for  the 
prompt  and  successful  assaults  upon  the  rioters,  and  to  his  judicious  and 
energetic  action  for  their  subsequent  entire  defeat  and  dispersion. 

In  the  discharge  of  the  manifold  duties  at  headquarters, 

COMMISSIONER  JOHN  G.  BERGEN 

was  prominent.  His  duties  were  no  less  responsible  than  those  of  Mr. 
Acton,  and  not  unfrequently  he  relieved  the  latter  in  the  disposition  of 
the  forces.  He  was  almost  constantly  at  headquarters  during  the 
period  of  tremor  and  excitement,  and  exhibited,  to  a  marked  degree,  his 
peculiarities  of  coolness,  prompt  conclusions,  and  steady  perseverance. 
He  came  through  the  trying  labors,  the  we'arying  days  and  nights,  fresh 
as  at  the  outset,  exhibiting  a  wonderful  capacity  to  sustain  fatigue.  The 
principal  responsibility  resting  upon  Mr.  Bergen  was  that  of  the  care 
of  Brooklyn,  and  to  this  his  anxieties  and  energies  were  chiefly  directed. 
How  well  he  succeeded  in  its  preservation  from  lawlessness  is  evidenced 
in  the  fact  that,  though  there  were  many  indications  of  serious  disturb- 
ances there,  yet  the  police  in  that  section,  acting  under  his  orders,  were 
successful  in  all,  but  one  single  instance,  in  suppressing  them. 

Mr.  Bergen  was  indefatigable  ;  cautious  and  intelligent  in  all  his 
acts,  he  added  largely  to  the  efficiency  and  strength  of  the  Department, 
and  contributed  greatly  to  the  successes  which  have  won  for  it  so  much 
of  honor. 

The  force  of  Clerks  at  headquarters  is  about  thirteen,  and  all  of 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  9 

these  were  steadily  employed  during  the  riots,  exhibiting  a  faithfulness 
to  duty  and  willingness  to  assume  it,  however  prolonged  and  heavy, 
which  was  most  creditable.     They  were  under  the  supervision  of 

CHIEF   CLERK   SETII  C.  HAWLEY, 

whose  duties  were  multifarious,  constant,  and  wearying,  and  who,  for  a 
week  from  Monday,  when  the  riot  commenced,  allowed  himself  no  rest 
but  that  of  one  hour  in  the  twenty-four.  Having  the  supervision  of  the 
clerks  and  special  patrolmen,  the  providing  and  issuing  of  arms,  the 
execution  of  orders  from  the  Commissioners,  seeing  to  the  wounded  and 
providing  for  the  refugees,  disposing  of  the  prisoners,  and  acting  as 
commissary  for  over  four  thousand  of  police,  military,  and  specials 
assembled  at  headquarters — these  were  only  a  portion  of  the  multitud- 
inous duties  he  was  called  upon  to  assume.  He  performed  an  amount 
of  work,  satisfactorily  and  thoroughly,  which  would  have  staggered  any 
man  of  less  capacity  and  energy.  He  proved  himself  eminently  adapted 
for  his  position,  and  was  of  invaluable  service  to  the  Commissioners  and 
the  public. 

i        THE  NEW  HEADQUARTERS 

deserve,  in  this  connection,  mention.  Their  advantage  and  capacity 
were  thoroughly  tested.  From  first  to  last,  there  were  upward  of  two 
thousand  policemen  there,  all  the  military,  acting  in  conjunction  with 
them,  two  thousand  special  patrolmen,  colored  refugees  from  the  mob  to 
the  number  of  seven  hundred,  and  hundreds  of  prisoners.  All  these 
had  to  be  housed  and  fed  in  the  building,  and  all  were  so  housed  and  fed — — 
without  confusion  or  discomfort.  Had  these  headquarters  not  existed, 
and  the  old  ones  been  in  use,  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  have 
afforded  accommodations  of  any  kind,  and  it  is  more  than  likely  that  all 
attempts  to  concentrate  others  than  the  police,  or,  if  concentrated,  to 
retain  them,  would  have  wholly  failed.  The  wisdom  of  erecting  the 
headquarters,  which  some  have  deemed  an  extravagance,  has  been  fully 
demonstrated. 

SUPERINTENDENT  JOHN  A.  KENNEDY. 

Although  there  had  been,  for  a  few  days  preceding  the  Riot  Week, 
inklings  of  disturbance,  there  was  nothing,  save  the  report  on  Saturday 
afternoon  that  the  Seventh  Avenue  Arsenal  was  to  be  attacked,  which 
rendered  necessary  any  other  than  the  ordinary  precaution  of  vigilance. 
The  rumor  in  reference  to  the  arsenal,  slight  as  it  was,  induced  the 


10  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

Superintendent  to  send  fifty  men  to  guard  it,  with  orders  to  remain  until 
relieved.  Subsequent  events  proved  his  wisdom,  for  this  action  pre- 
vented the  earlier  commencement  of  the  riots  and  their  more  formidable 
character.  It  has  been  ascertained  that  there  was  a  well  concerted  plan 
to  sack  the  arsenal  on  Saturday  or  Sunday  night,  and  to  procure  the 
arms  and  ammunition.  Thus  provided,  the  mob  would  have  displayed 
a  far  more  formidable  front  on  Monday,  and  more  steadily,  boldly,  and 
bloodily  defied  the  attempts  to  subdue  it. 

Until  Monday  after  7  A.  M.  Mr.  Kennedy  heard  nothing,  beyond  the 
rumor  on  which  he  had  so  promptly  acted,  which  excited  any  appre- 
hension. About  that  hour,  however,  he  snuffed  riot  in  the  fact  commu- 
nicated to  him  that  the  Street  Contractor's  men  in  the  Nineteenth  Ward 
were  not  at  work.  His  first  thought,  as  it  was  draft  day  in  some  dis- 
tricts, was  for  the  safety  of  Provost  Marshal  Manierre's  office,  No.  1190 
Broadway,  and  Marshal  Jenkins'  office,  Forty-sixth  Street  and  Third 
Avenue,  and  he  accordingly  telegraphed  to  several  of  the  upper  precincts 
for  detachments  of  men  to  report  forthwith  to  Captain  Porter,  of  the 
Nineteenth,  for  protection  of  Jenkins'  office,  and  dispatched  another 
force  to  report  to  Captain  Speight,  of  the  Twenty-ninth,  for  duty  at 
Manierre's  office.  Meantime  further  rumors  of  riotous  disposition  had 
reached  him,  and  he  promptly  issued  orders  to  the  different  precincts 
to  immediately  assemble  their  reserve  force.  When  it  is  remembered 
that  this  is  half  the  entire  force,  and  the  men,  going  off  duty  at  6  A.  M., 
are  scattered  here,  there,  and  everywhere,  the  labor  devolved  on  the 
officers  of  the  different  precincts  can  well  be  imagined.  The  force  gath- 
ered in  strength,  .however,  at  headquarters,  during  the  afternoon. 

Superintendent  Kennedy,  having  dispatched  more  men  to  Captain 
Speight,  and  perfected,  so  far  as  was  then  deemed  necessary,  every 
arrangement,  started  about  10  A.  M.  on  a  tour  for  personal  inspection 
of  the  districts  reported  infected.  Visiting  Captain  Speight  and  the 
Seventh  Avenue  Arsenal,  and  leaving  directions  for  any  emergency,  he 
drove  across  town ;  noticing  a  fire  at  Third  Avenue  and  Forty-sixth 
Street,  left  his  wagon  and  walked  toward  it.  The  Superintendent  was 
not  in  uniform,  had  no  insignia  of  any  kind,  and  was  wholly  unarm*ed. 
As  he  passed  along  Forty-sixth  Street  he  observed  that  every  face  was 
radiant  with  gratification ;  every  person  seemed  to  be  highly  pleased ; 
no  evidences  were  exhibited  of  a  disposition  to  riot,  or  to  any  mis- 
chievous conduct,  when  some  one  exclaimed  :  "There's  Kennedy  !"  and 
to  a  query  :  "  Which  is  him  V  he  was  pointed  out.  He  took  no  notice 
of  this,  but,  on  being  pushed  violently  against  by  a  returned  soldier, 
wheeled  round  and  demanded  what  that  was  for  ;  received  a  violent  blow 
in  the   face  from  one  of  the  crowd  suddenly  gathering  on  him,  which 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  11 

knocked  him  over  and  down  an  embankment  some  six  feet  high.  This 
was  the  signal  for  the  cowardly  fury  of  the  mob,  and  down  they  rushed 
for  him ;  instantly  regaining  his  feet,  he  put  himself  to  his  speed  across 
lots  toward  Forty-seventh  Street,  and  had  gained  on  his  yelling,  mania- 
cal pursuers;  had  reached  and  ascended  the  embankment;  but  foes, 
equally  as  cowardly  and  brutal,  met  him  here ;  the  attack  and  pursuit 
had  been  seen  from  the  opposite  embankment,  and  with  cool  malignity 
a  crowd  awaited  his  coming ;  he  had  but  just  gained  the  top  of  it,  when  a 
rush  was  made  upon  him,  and  a  powerful  blow  sent  him  headlong  back 
again,  prostrate  at  the  very  feet  of  his  original  assailants.  He  felt 
throughout  that  his  safety  was  in  keeping  his  feet,  and  instantly  was  he 
again  upon  them,  but  too  late  for  another  run  for  life ;  the  mob,  with  its 
Forty-seventh  Street  reinforcement,  closed  on  him  with  yells  of  exulta- 
tion, dealing  upon  him  blows  with  fists  and  feet.  One  fellow,  armed  with  a 
heavy  club,  made  earnest  and  numerous  efforts  to  dash  his  brains  out ; 
but  the  Superintendent,  having  a  careful  eye  to  them  and  a  quick  one 
for  the  ruffian's  movements,  managed  to  keep  his  head  "  well  in  hand," 
dodge  his  blows,  and  all  others  aimed  at  that  quarter,  with  wonderful 
dexterity.  During  this  terrific  ordeal  some  fifty  blows  on  all  parts  of 
his  body  must  have  been  received.  In  the  swaying  about  of  the  mob 
and  its  victim,  they  had  moved  toward  Lexington  Avenue,  and  close  to 
a  wide  mud-hole ;  into  this  a  tremendous  blow  behind  the  ear  sent  the 
Superintendent  head  foremost,  with  great  violence ;  here  it  was  where 
his  face,  buried  amid  the  mud  and  stones,  received  the  terrible  injuries 
which  rendered  him  unrecognizable.  Then  arose  a  jubilant  cheer,  and 
the  mob  yelled,  "  Drown  him  !  drown  him  !"  But  the  Superintendent 
proved  that  a  plucky,  determined  man  has  nine  lives  as  well  as  a  cat. 
Marvelously  enough,  even  now,  he  retained  his  consciousness,  was  once 
more  promptly  on  his  feet,  and  exhibited  a  neat  bit  of-  strategy  and 
agility.  The  mud  was  too  deep,  the  pond  too  wide,  for  the  villains  to 
enter  in  or  pursue  through ;  they  were  on  the  Forty-sixth  Street  side ; 
the  Superintendent  took  in  the  situation  at  a  glance,  and  made  straight 
across  the  pond  for  Lexington  Avenue  again ;  this  gave  him,  on  reaching 
the  other  side,  an  advantageous  start  of  his  pursuers,  who  had  to  chase 
around  the  borders,  and  who,  on  seeing  themselves  thus  outgeneraled, 
came  after  him  with  redoubled  yells  and  execrations.  They  were  too 
late,  however.  He  reached,  in  advance,  the  Lexington  Avenue  embank- 
ment, sprung  up  it,  and  recognizing  near  by  Mr.  John  Eagan,  a  well- 
known  and  influential  resident  of  the'  vicinity,  exclaimed  to  him,  "  John 
Eagan,  come  here  and  save  my  life !"  He  was  now  covered  with  blood 
and  mud,  and  unrecognizable.  Eagan  came  promptly  to  his  relief,  and 
had  influence  enough  to  keep    the    mob    back,   who — Mr.    Kennedy's 


12  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

strength  now  succumbing,  and*  he  presenting  "an  appearance  of  having 
little  if  any  life  left — were  the  more  readily  restrained  because  of  their 
belief  that  "  he  was  as  good  as  a  dead  man."  Mr.  Eagan  and  one  or 
two  others  secured  a  feed  wagon,  placed  Mr.  Kennedy  in  it,  and  at  once 
conveyed  him  to  headquarters.  Mr.  Eagan  did  not  know  for  whom  his 
powerful  and  disinterested  effort  had  been  made  until  after  driving  some 
distance  from  the  scene. 

The  unexpected  arrival  of  Mr.  Kennedy  in  such  a  condition  created 
the  most  intense  excitement  and  indignation.  He  was  almost  uncon- 
scious, his  face  fearfully  bruised  and  cut,  one  eye  entirely  closed,  lips 
swelled  frightfully — in  short,  not  John  A.  Kennedy's  visage  in  any  par- 
ticular— 'his  hand  cut  with  a  knife,  his  body  a  mass  of  bruises,  and  his 
person  covered  with  blood  and  mud.  From  headquarters,  after  sur- 
gical care,  he  was  taken  to  the  house  of  a  friend,  and  so  soon  as  a  thorough 
examination  showed  that  no  bones  were  broken  or  internal  injury  sus- 
tained, he  was,  despite  remonstrance,  on  his  feet  again,  and  on  Thursday 
of  the  same  week  attending  to  duties  at  the  office.  He  bears  yet  the 
scars  of  his  encounter  ;  but  as  they  are  marks  of  honor,  however  incon- 
venient, he  can  patiently  wear  them  till  time  wipes  them  off. 

Mr.  Kennedy  is  sixty  years  of  age, — a  fact  suggestive  of  the  vile  and 
cowardly  character  of  his  assailants,  as  well  as  of  the  iron  constitution 
which  has  brought  him  through.  Of  his  great  self-possession  and  deter- 
mination, the  facts  detailed  afford  the  evidence. 

Owing  to  the  early  injuries,  as  detailed,  of  Superintendent  Kennedy, 
on  Monday,  the  Department  was  deprived  of  his  intelligent  and  ener- 
getic action,  and  the  duties,  under  supervision  of  Commissioner  Acton, 
to  a  great  degree  devolved  upon 

INSPECTOR  DANIEL  CARPENTER. 

He  was  busily  engaged  in  perfecting  the  orders  issued  by  Mr. 
Kennedy  when  the  latter  was  brought  into  headquarters  bruised,  bleed- 
ing, and  unconscious.  This  was  the  first  confirmation  received  there  of 
formidable  disturbance.  With  approval  of  Commissioner  Acton,  Mr. 
Carpenter  at  once  telegraphed  for  the  immediate  massing  of  the  en- 
tire force  at  headquarters.  The  orders  were  obeyed  with  alacrity,  and 
by  3  o'clock  P.  M.  a  large  number  were  assembled.  The  wisdom  of 
this  measure  subsequent  events  fully  proved. 

Further  confirmation  of  the  riot  and  its  proportions  meantime  had 
reached  headquarters,  and  the  men  were  being  rapidly  organized,  formed 
into  companies,  and  put  under  different  commanders.  About  4  P.  M. 
word  was  received  that  Mayor  Opdyke's  house,  in  Fifth  Avenue,  was 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  IS 

being  attacked.     Inspector  Carpenter  at  once  took  command  of  a  force 
of  two  hundred.     Before  leaving  he  addressed  his  men,  telling  them  they 
"  had  to  meet  and  to  put  down  a  mob ;  to  take  no  prisoners  ;  to  strike 
quick  and  strike  hard."     A  speedy  march  was  taken  to  and  up  Broadway, 
and  when  the  force  reached  Bond  Street  a  body  of  rioters  was  seen  march- 
ing down  and  near  to  Amity.     They  bore  a  huge  board  banner,  inscribed 
"  No  Draft,"  and  desecrated  the  American  flag  by  bearing  it  in  their 
midst.     The  two  forces  sighted  each  other  unexpectedly.     The  rioters, 
fresh  from  the  attempted  sacking  of  Mayor  Opdyke's  house,  had  marched 
from  Fourteenth  Street  down  Broadway.,  armed  with  clubs,  pitchforks, 
iron  bars,  swords,  and  many  with  guns  and  pistols.     Every  colored  man 
they  met  had  been  abused  and  mercilessly  beaten.     Terror  seized  pedes- 
trians and  storekeepers  ;  the  former  hurried  out  of  the  way  ;  .the  latter 
hastily  closed  and  barred  doors  and  windows.     Vehicles  turned  to  the 
right  and  left,  and  to  a  thousand  vile-visaged  and  lawless  men  the  un- 
disputed right  of  way  was  surrendered.     The  intention  of  this  gang, 
openly  avowed,  was  to  enter  the  Lafarge  House,  where  colored  servants 
were  employed,  and  do  havoc  to  them  and  it.     Most  fortunately,  police 
protection  was  at  hand.     Quick  as  thought,  on  the  first  glimpse  of  themr 
Inspector  Carpenter  gave  the  successive  orders,  just  in  front  of  the  La- 
farge,   "  By  the  right  flank  !    Company,  front !    Double  quick,  charge  !" 
and,  with  upraised  clubs,  in  splendid  order  did  they  obey.     Inspector  Car- 
penter, with  reckless  but  characteristic  courage,  was  far  ahead  of  his 
command,  and,  for  a  moment,  among  the  mob  single  and  alone.     He  had 
the  first  blow,  drew  the  first  blood,  selecting  for  his  victim  a  powerfully 
built  ruffian,  defiantly  brandishing  his  club ;  a  terrific  blow  upon   his 
head  from  the  Inspector,  and  he  was  left  to  the  attention  of  others,  while 
Mr.  Carpenter,  with  the  men  now  beside  him,  went  in  for  a  literal  ful- 
fillment of  his  order  on  leaving  headquarters.     The  mob,  bewildered  at 
the  sudden  meeting,  staggered  at  the  outset  by  the  determined  onset  of 
the  police,  were  unable  to  rally  for  effective  fight.     The  clubs  flew  rapidly 
and  surely  upon  devoted  heads,  a  score  lay  prostrate  upon  the  street, 
two  were  killed,  the  "  No  Draft "  banner  captured  and  destroyed,  and 
the  "  Stars  and  Stripes  "  made  prize  of  and  carried  in  the  ranks  of  those 
who,  by  word  or  deed,  would  never  dishonor  them.     In  five  minutes  the 
victory  was  complete,  and  the  ruffians,  save  those  who  lay  in  the  streets, 
dispersed  in  all  directions,  leaving  strewn  around  weapons,  villainous 
and  of  all  descriptions.     The  contest  was  witnessed  by  thousands,  cheers 
greeted  the  police  on  their  charge,  and  after  the  fight  they  wTere  renewed 
with  double  earnestness.     This  was  the  first  regular  fight  with  the  mob. 
The  force  did  not  know  how  many  they  were  meeting,  nor  did  they  care ; 
and  nobly  was  their  courage  vindicated.     Inspector  Carpenter  incurred 


14  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

a  risk  for  which  he  might  have  paid  the  penalty  of  his  life,  and  it  is 
wonderful  he  did  not ;  but  he  escaped  uninjured,  and  left  record  on  heads 
and  bodies  which  will  be  long  borne  and  remembered. 

Immediately  reforming  his  men,  and  cool  as  though  naught  had  hap- 
pened, he  marched  to  the  Mayor's  house,  Fifth  Avenue ;  but  finding  all 
quiet,  returned  to  headquarters.  Reports  of  the  fight  on  Broadway  had 
reached  there,  and,  on  the  appearance  of  himself  and  force  with  the  cap- 
tured flag,  they  were  greeted  with  enthusiastic  cheers. 

The  Inspector's  rest  here  was  but  brief,  for,  at  8  P.  M.,  it  was  reported 
that  the  Tribune  Buildings  were  to  be  attacked.  At  once  taking  com- 
mand of  two  hundred  men — one  hundred  from  Brooklyn,  under  Inspec- 
tor Folk — he  marched  rapidly  for  and  down  Broadway,  entering  the 
Park  just  as  the  mob,  which  had  been  repulsed  from  the  Tribune  Build 
ings  by  the  police  of  the  lower  precincts,  were  fleeing  across  it ;  instantly 
divining  the  situation,  he  formed  "  company  front,"  and  swept  the  Park, 
to  Printing-house  Square,  on  the  double-quick — the  fleeing  rioters,  who 
were  rushing  from  one  punishment  to  another,  receiving  the  clubs  ter- 
ribly, and  being  knocked  in  all  directions.  The  square  at  and  around 
the  Times  office  being  entirely  clear,  Inspector  Carpenter  took  up  his 
quarters  at  the  City  Hall ;  soon  after  he  was  weakened  by  the  with- 
drawal of  Inspector  Folk  and  one  hundred  men,  who  were  ordered  to 
Brooklyn.  A  report  reaching  him  that  the  negro  shanties  in  Baxter 
Street  were  being  fired,  he  detailed  Capt.  Jourdan,  of  the  Sixth  Pre- 
cinct, with  a  force,  to  visit  that  section,  which  he  right  bravely  did,  dis- 
persing crowds  and  preventing  contemplated  destruction.  Subsequently 
word  came  that  negro  dwellings  were  being  sacked  and  burned  in  the 
Fourth  Ward,  in  Dover  Street  and  its  vicinity.  Fifty  men  were  left  to 
act  in  case  of  a  renewed  attack  upon  the  Tribune  Buildings,  and  with 
_the  balance  Inspector  Carpenter  marched  to  the  new  scene  of  violence. 
He  came,  unawares,  upon  a  large  mob  engaged  in  pillaging  and  firing 
dwellings,  caught  them  on  the  double-quick,  and  administered  terrible 
punishment.  At  four  different  places  in  this  Ward  were  mobs  at  their 
work — burning,  pillaging,  and  beating.  Inspector  Carpenter,  with  his 
force,  marched  from  one  to  the  other,  making  sudden  onslaughts,  dispers- 
ma  the  rioters,  and  extinguishing  fires.  In  many  cases  the  villains  were 
chased  into  houses,  and  had  to  escape  from  the  windows  or  receive  un- 
sparingly the  locust. 

An  incident  occurred  during  these  engagements  which  excited  the  ire 
and  nerved  still  more  the  arm  of  the  police.  Three  colored  men  had 
fled  to  the  roof  of  a  dwelling  to  escape  the  rioters,  who  subsequently 
fired  it  in  the  upper  story.  The  flames,  reaching  the  roof,  drove  the 
poor  fellows  from  it,  and  when  the  police  arrived  they  were  seen  sus- 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  15 

pended  against  the  side  of  the  building,  clinging  to  the  gable-end. 
Every  effort  was  made  by  Inspector  Carpenter  and  his  men  to  rescue 
them,  but  no  ladders  or  means  to  do  so  could  be  procured,  and  becom- 
ing exhausted,  they  successively  fell  to  the  ground — one  of  them,  whom 
the  fire  had  reached,  with  his  clothes  in  flames.  Each  one  was  badly  in- 
jured, but  all  were  placed  in  care  and  safety. 

After  the  effective  work  in  the  Fourth  Ward,  Inspector  Carpenter 
returned  with  his  gallant  command  to  the  City  Hall ;  he  had  scarcely 
reached  there — it  was  now  11  P'.  M. — ere  word  was  received  of  a  mob 
coming  down  Broadway  for  another  attack  upon  the  Tribune  Buildings; 
Mr.  Carpenter  at  once  massed  what  of  his  force  were  left  close  to  the 
east  gate  of  the  Park,  facing  three  companies  to  the  west,  from  which 
direction  he  knew  the  mob  would  come,  and  the  balance  to  the  east. 
They  did  come  with  yells,  shouts,  and  dire  intent.  The  force  was  con- 
cealed by  the  darkness,  and,  unsuspectingly,  the  rioters  marched  into  the 
trap  laid  for  them.  They  were  some  four  hundred  strong,  and  were  al- 
lowed to  get  within  one  hundred  yards  ere  Inspector  Carpentkr  gave 
the  orders,  "  Up,  Guards,  and  at  them  !"  Well  and  overwhelmingly  was 
he  obeyed,  and  against  far  greater  numbers  ;  every  man  was  knocked 
down  who  could  be  reached.  The  Park  was  strewn  with  the  prostrate, 
the  ranks  broken,  the  mob  fleeing,  and  the  police  were  again  masters  of 
the  situation. 

This  ended,  for  Inspector  Carpenter  and  his  command,  their  duties 
for  the  night — constant  and  arduous,  and  most  gallantly  performed.  He 
was  relieved  at  midnight  by  Inspector  Leonard  and  force,  and  returned 
with  his  men  to  headquarters. 

On  Tuesday  morning,  at  6  o'clock,  with  two  hundred  and  fifty  men, 
Inspector  Carpenter  proceeded  to  Second  Avenue ;  on  reaching  it  at 
Twenty-first  Street  the  force  were  met  with  groans  and  hooting,  but  by 
no  assault,  until  passing  the  block  between  Thirty-second  and  Thirty- 
third  Streets;  here  the  rear  of  the  force  was  suddenly  assailed  with 
showers  of  bricks,  stones,  and  other  missiles,  from  the  roofs  and  win- 
dows of  the  adjoining  houses ;  several  of  the  men  were  knocked  down ; 
two  were  badly  injured ;  the  Inspector  instantly  halted  his  command, 
and  directed  a  force  of  fifty  to  storm  the  houses,  enter  to  the  roofs,  and 
render  hors  du  combat  every  one  engaged  in  the  assault.  The  order  was 
obeyed  with  a  cheer,  the  locked  and  barricaded  doors  broken  in  and 
forced,  the  premises  entered,  all  resistants  knocked  down,  the  roofs 
reached,  where  were  found  a  large  number  of  the  assailants.  Here  a 
hand-to-hand  and  desperate  fight  ensued,  in  which  the  ruffians  were  over- 
come and  several  fearfully  punished  ;  many  were  left  lying  on  the  roofs, 
others  fled  through  the  scuttles  only  to  receive  the  clubs  of  the  officers 


16  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

in  wait  below,  and  those  who  escaped  into  the  street  were  met  by  the  re- 
serve, who  administered  severe  retribution.  The  victory  was  complete, 
the  houses  thoroughly  cleared,  and  the  missiles  cast  from  the  roofs  into 
the  street.  Reforming  his  force,  march  was  made  through  the  infected 
streets  and  avenues  without  meeting  further  opposition,  and  thence  to 
headquarters  at  1  P.  M.  The  afternoon  was  here  spent  by  the  Inspector 
in  attending  to  duties  created  by  the  emergency. 

At  9  P.  M.,  receiving  word  of  an  attack  being  made  on  Brooks 
Brothers'  clothing  store,  Catharine  Street,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty 
men  he  hastened  to  the  scene,  arriving  too  late  to  prevent  the  sacking, 
but  taking  an  active  part  in  the  punishment  and  dispersion  of  the  mob  in 
and  around  the  building.  Thence  leading  his  command  through  the  sev- 
eral infested  streets  of  that  vicinity,  they  were  cleared  of  all  disturbers. 
While  thus  engaged,  word  came  that  a  renewed  attack  upon  the  Tribune 
was  anticipated,  and  forthwith  he  hastened  to  the  Park ;  here,  finding  the 
report  was  unfounded,  but  hearing  that  a  mob  had  threatened  the 
sugar-house  on  Leonard  Street,  and  was  then  sacking  negro  houses  in  its. 
vicinity,  he  immediately  moved  his  command  to  that  quarter,  and  com- 
ing suddenly  upon,  charged  the  crowd  while  at  their  work  of  pillage,  and 
routed  them  with  many  a  broken  skull ;  thence  a  hurried  march  was 
made  to  York  Street,  where  riotous  demonstrations  had  been  made,  but 
the  mob  broke  and  dispersed  as  they  appeared.  Thus  closed  another 
night  of  unceasing  and  arduous  duty  performed  by  Inspector  Carpenter 
and  his  well-worked  men,  and  well-working  men. 

Wednesday  brought  relief  to  the  Inspector  from  out-door  duty,  but 
he  was  unceasingly  engaged,  day  and  night,  at  headquarters,  in  the  mul- 
tifarious matters  requiring  attention.  His  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
Department  and  its  resources,  his  correct  judgment  and  great  decision  of 
character,  were  of  incalculable  service  to  the  Department  and  the 
public. 

On  Thursday  morning  Inspector  Carpenter  was  directed  by  Com- 
missioner Acton  to  accompany  Capt.  Putnam,  of  the  regulars,  with  his 
command,  through  avenues  and  streets  infected,  and  report  condition. 
The  centers  of  the  riotous  districts  were  visited.  No  indications  of  fur- 
ther disturbance  existed,  but  every  store  was  closed,  people  anxiously 
peering,  as  the  military  passed,  from  doors  and  windows.  The  Inspec- 
tor announced  to  all  that  the  "  reign  of  terror  "  was  over  and  that  they 
could  resume  their  business  with  the  assurance  of  being  protected; 
similar  assurances  were  given  to  the  railroad  and  omnibus  companies  in 
that  section  which  had  not  resumed  running.  A  halt  was  made  at  the 
Twenty -first  Precinct  Station-house,  when  Mr.  Carpenter  heard  that  two 
of  the  force,  wounded,  were  secreted  in  a  house  in  East  Forty-third 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  17 

Street,  fearful  of  coming  out.  Capt.  Putnam  accompanied  the  Inspector 
to  the  premises  where  it  was  ascertained  that  the  wounded  men  had 
been  secreted,  but,  being  furnished  with  citizens'  clothes,  had  subse- 
quently escaped. 

A  slow  return  was  made  from  Forty-third  Street,  over  the  section 
so  recently  one  of  riot.  Scouts  were  sent  out  by  the  Inspector  on  either 
side  of  the  line  of  march,  who  brought  back  word  of  "  all  quiet,"  and 
at  1  P.M.  headquarters  were  reached,  Mr.  Carpenter  returning  "all 
quiet "  as  the  gratifying  report. 

From  that  time  until  Saturday  noon  he  was  on  duty  at  the  office,  not 
having,  from  Monday  morning,  but  three  hours  at  his  own  house. 

Thus  closes  the  record  of  Inspector  Carpenter  during  "  Riot  Week." 
On  all  occasions,  and  in  all  positions  where  intelligence,  sagacity,  and 
manly  courage  were  required,  Inspector  Carpknter  evinced  them.  His 
duties  and  responsibilities  were  largely  increased  by  the  early  injuries  to 
Superintendent  Kennedy,  but  he  proved  equal  to  all  of  them,  and  has 
added  to  his  repute  as  an  invaluable  officer.  On  all  occasions  he  was 
nobly  seconded  by  the  men  under  his  command,  and  he  refers  with  pride 
to  their  fidelity  and  effectiveness. 

After  confirmation  of  the  riot  reached  headquarters,  the  utmost  ac- 
tivity prevailed  there,  and,  under  supervision  of  Commissioner  Acton, 
every  effort  was  made  to  rapidly  gather  the  men.  To  organize  them 
when  gathered,  put  them  under  proper  commands,  prepare  them  for  any 
emergency,  and  speed  them  to  the  different  points  where  needed,  was  a 
work  of  unceasing  labor.     During  the  day  and  night  of  Monday, 

INSPECTOR   GEORGE   W.   DILKS 

was  incessantly  occupied  in  aiding  to  do  this,  and  brought  to  the  work 
the  advantage  of  a  long  and  active  experience  in  the  Department,  a 
quick  appreciation  of  the  necessities  of  the  occasion,  and  an  energy  and 
zeal  which  never  flagged.  He  was  thus  unceasingly  engaged  until  10 
o'clock  A.  M.  of  Tuesday,  when  he  was  ordered  to  the  command  of  two 
hundred  men;  and  to  march  forthwith  to  the  protection  of  the  Wire  Fac- 
tory at  Twenty-second  Street  and  Second  Avenue  [where  some  four 
thousand  carbines  were  stored],  which  was  reported  as  being  attacked. 
A  rapid  march  was  made  to  Twenty-first  Street,  thence  into  the  avenue. 
On  wheeling  into  and  up  it,  they  encountered  a  mob,  swelled  to  thou- 
sands. They  had  forced  the  factory,  the  arms  were  being  taken  out,  and 
scores  were  already  provided  with  them.  Exultant  over  such  plunder, 
the  rioters  greeted  the  appearance  of  the  force  with  shouts  of  derision 
and  defiance.     For  Inspector  Dilks  to  throw  his  command  upon  such 


18  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

overwhelming  numbers  was  full  of  hazard ;  to  retreat  before  them,  full 
of  danger.  Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost,  and,  instantly  forming  his 
men,  he  ordered  a  rapid  charge.  The  mob,  for  a  while,  stood  its  ground, 
and  hand-to-hand  encounters  ensued,  of  which  the  Inspector  had  his  full 
share ;  orders  had  been  given  to  recapture  all  the  stolen  guns,  and 
squads  of  the  force  charged  for  them  at  different  points  into  the  mob, 
mowing  their  way  in  and  back  against  weighty  odds.  The  proportions 
and  fierce  character  of  this  fight  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  courage  on 
the  other,  made  it  the  severest  encounter  of  the  week.  The  ground  was 
strewn  with  men,  on  sidewalks,  in  the  gutters,  and  on  the  street,  bleed- 
ing and  senseless.  At  last  brute  courage  yielded  to  determined  bravery 
and  steady  discipline.  The  mob,  broken  and  terrified,  fled,  leaving  In- 
spector Dilks  and  his  command  masters  of  the  ground.  Thus  ended 
the  engagement  "  on  the  field,"  in  which  many  of  the  force  were  injured, 
but  not  one  faltered. 

To  the  factory  now,  which  was  filled  with  rioters,  still  pillaging  it  of 
arms  and  determined  to  defend  it,  instant  attention  was  turned.  Wheel- 
ing his  men  to  the  front,  Inspector  Dilks  gave  the  orders  to  assault  and 
take  it.  The  entrance  was  forced,  the  stairs  won  step  by  step,  and  the 
building  cleared,  but  only  after  savage  and  continuous  fighting,  in  which 
serious  punishment  was  inflicted  by  the  police ;  men  laid  throughout  the 
factory,  victims  of  their  own  lawlessness,  and  the  bloody  marks  of  the 
contest  were  on  all  parts  of  the  building.  Those  who  escaped  from 
within  ran  the  gauntlet  of  the  force  remaining  in  the  street,  and  few,  if 
any,  got  away  unscathed.  The  punishment  inflicted  during  these  con- 
tests was  terrible ;  a  physician  dressed  the  wounds  of  twenty-one  of 
the  rioters,  all  on  the  head,  and  all  of  which  he  considered  fatal. 

Having  cleared  the  factory,  taken  what  guns  were  found  there,  which, 
with  those  recaptured  in  the  street,  made  one  for  every  man,  and  the 
mob  not  reappearing,  Inspector  Dilks  returned  with  his  force  to  head- 
quarters. On  the  way  down  with  their  trophies  the  command  were  re- 
peatedly cheered,  and  on  reaching  "home,"  at  3  P.  M.,  the  force  there 
welcomed  them  most  cordially. 

Half  an  hour  after  return,  word  was  received  that  an  attack  was 
again  being  made  upon  the  factory.  Inspector  Dilks  at  once  took  com- 
mand of  another  two  hundred  and,  accompanied  by  Capt.  Franklin's 
company  of  military,  returned  to  the  scene,  entering  Second  Avenue,  as 
before,  from  Twenty-first  Street.  Here  he  discovered  Capt.  Helm  and 
a  small  force  of  police,  who  had  just  visited  the  factory,  securing  some 
boxes  of  arms  which  had  been  overlooked.  They  were  being  closed  in 
upon  from  all  quarters  by  a  fast-gathering  and  now  intensely  infuriated 
mob,  against  which  they  would  have  been  powerless ;  the  timely  relief 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  19 

was  welcomed  with  heartiest  cheers ;  the  mob,  remembering  the  lessons 
of  but  a  short  time  previous,  made  but  a  short  fight,  broke  and 
fled.  Capt.  Helm's  force  joined  Inspector  Dilks'  command ;  a  halt  at 
and  final  search  of  the  factory,  for  arms,  were  made,  and  march  resumed, 
with  the  military  now  taking  the  right,  down  Twenty-second  Street  to 
First  Avenue.  From  buildings  along  the  route  they  were  continuously 
stoned  and  fired  at,  making  no  response  save  in  one  instance :  a  man 
stood  at  a  window,  upraising  a  huge  rock,  and  just  on  the  point  of  hurl- 
ing it  into  the  ranks ;  he  was  instantly  shot, — the  ball  entering  his  head 
and  he  falling  dead.  On  wheeling  into  First  Avenue,  a  large  body  of 
rioters,  toward  Twenty-first  Street,  suddenly  assailed  them,  rapidly  firing 
upon  them  and  making  the  air  thick  with  the  hurling  stones  and  other 
missiles ;  so  obstinate  and  determinedly  continued  was  this  attack  that 
Capt.  Franklin,  filing  his  men  across  and  facing  down  the  avenue, 
warned  the  rioters  to  disperse  or  he  should  fire  upon  them ;  they  an- 
swered with  shouts  of  defiance  and  renewed  the  attack ;  the  word  was 
then  given,  and  several  volleys  were  fired  with  terrible  effect ;  the  crowd 
fell  back,  the  two  forces  following,  the  military  firing  as  they  advanced. 

At  Twenty-first  Street,  the  mob,  panic-stricken  at  .the  slaughter  in 
their  ranks,  fled.  A  countermarch  was  made  to  Twenty-second  Street, 
thence  to  Second  Avenue  and  to  Twenty-first.  Reaching  here,  the  forces 
were  again  assailed,  receiving  a  volley  from  the  First  Avenue,  where  the 
mob,  well  armed,  had  speedily  reassembled.  Capt.  Franklin  instantly 
wheeled  and  faced  his  men  to  meet  this  unexpected  attack,  giving  imme- 
diate orders  to  fire.  The  mob,  a  block  off,  stood  several  discharges, 
boldly  returning  them,  but  at  length  and  after  more  slaughter,  broke 
and  fled. 

During  this  engagement  the  Inspector  had  many  narrow  escapes, 
one  especially  so — a  Minnie  ball  striking  close  to  his  head  and  cutting  off 
a  tree  branch  bending  near  him. 

A  huge,  powerfully  built  man  was  noticed  at  the  head  of  the  mob, 
leaping  into  the  air,  wildly  swinging  his  arms  and  shaking  his  fists, 
evidently  one  of  the  ringleaders,  crazy  for  riot  and  blood.  He  was 
singled  out,  received  a  shot  in  the  forehead,  and  fell  dead.  Another, 
who  had  boldly  ventured  away  from  his  comrades  and  advanced  up 
Twenty -first  Street,  stood  gritting  his  teeth,  shaking  his  fists  at  and  curs- 
ing the  soldiers,  ceasing  this  only  to  shout  encouragement  to  the  rioters. 
He  literally  exhibited  demoniac  rage.  He  was  picked  out,  shot,  and  fell 
dead  in  the  midst  of  his  threats  and  imprecations. 

This  was  the  last  contest  in  which  Inspector  Dilks  and  his  command 
were  engaged  on  that  day,  and  their  position  throughout  was  a  trying 
one.     On  the  march  through  Twenty-second  Street  they  acted  as  skir- 


20  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

mishers,  doing  bold  duty  and  incurring  great  risks.  On  both  occasions 
when  the  military  took  the  offensive  they  were  brought  to  a  halt,  the 
balls  and  missiles  from  the  mob  whistling  over  and  among  them,  with- 
out the  opportunity  of  assault  or  defence ;  steady  courage  was  required  to 
endure  this.  No  serious  injuries  were  sustained  by  the  men,  and  the  mob 
appearing  to  be  entirely  dispersed,  headquarters  were  returned  to,  the 
party  received  with  cheers,  and  Capt.  Helm's  trophies  deposited. 

All  that  night,  and  until  Wednesday  evening,  Inspector  Dii.ks  was 
incessantly  on  duty  at  the  headquarters.  At  dusk,  on  Wednesday,  with 
another  force  of  two  hundredj  accompanied  by  Capt.  Putnam's  regulars, 
the  infected  district  was  visited,  and  a  tour  through  Second  and  Third 
Avenues  and  the  intervening  streets,  from  Seventeenth  to  Twenty-second, 
was  made.  First  Avenue,  from  Eighteenth  to  Twenty-first,  was  filled 
with  excited  people,  and  there  was  almost  uninterrupted  skirmishing 
the  entire  distance.  Both  from  the  streets  and  the  houses  were  the  mili- 
tary and  police  fired  at,  while  missiles  fell  among  them  thick  and  fast; 
two  of  the  force  were  shot,  though  not  seriously,  and  numbers  were 
struck  with  bricks  and  stones.  They  advanced  slowly  and  steadily, 
clearing  the  street  before  them, — Inspector  Dilks,  whenever  occasion  re- 
quired, making  a  charge,  in  some  cases  having  sharp  fighting,  and  pre- 
venting any  formidable  gathering;  the  military  fired  but  a  few  shots, 
and  before  the  tour  was  completed  the  mob  had  wholly  dispersed. 
Returning  to  headquarters,  Inspector  Dilks  was  occupied  in  duties  there 
until  after  midnight,  when,  for  the  first  time  since  Monday  morning,  he 
took  rest  and  sleep.  Subsequently,  and  until  quiet  was  restored,  he  was 
on  constant  duty,  but  not  again  "  in  the  field." 

Throughout  all  the  exciting  scenes  narrated,  the  courage,  coolness, 
and  decision  of  the  Inspector  were  prominent;  there  were  no  duties  in 
which  he  did  not  share,  no  dangers  in  which  he  did  not  lead.  He  had 
true  and  brave  men  to  sustain  him,  and  how  zealously,  unflinchingly  they 
did  so,  the  record  tells. 

Of  course  it  is  understood  that,  in  the  duties  performed  and  in  the 
dangers  incurred  by  the  different  Inspectors,  the  forces  under  their  com- 
mand share  equally  with  them  in  whatever  of  honor  is  attached.  This 
the  Inspectors  themselves  claim  ;  they  know  that  to  the  bravery  of  their 
officers  and  men,  to  their  eager  and  constant  devotion  to  duty,  are  their 
successes  and  honors  attributable.  Each  one  of  thorn  admits  this  en- 
thusiastically, and  none  more  so  than 

INSPECTOR  JAMES  LEONARD. 

Inspector  Leonard  was  on  duty  at  headquarters  on  Monday  when 
Superintendent   Kennedy   was  brought  in.     After  Inspector  Cm  pen te;; 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  21 

left  with  his  command,  acting  under  orders  from  Commissioner  Acton 
he  was  incessantly  occupied  in  massing  at  headquarters  what  of  the  force 
had  not  been  assembled,  and  in  organizing  them.  At  9  o'clock  P.  M. 
rumors  of  a  mob  coming  down  Broadway  were  received.  Taking  com- 
mand of  a  force,  Inspector  Leonard  marched  to  Broadway,  met  them  at 
Bond  Street — near  the  scene  of  Inspector  Carpenter's  afternoon  victory 
— charged  upon  them,  and,  after  a  brief  but  severe  "  little  fight,"  broke, 
punished  and  dispersed  them.  ^Returning  to  headquarters,  he  resumed 
duties  there  until  midnight,  when  he  was  ordered,  with  a  force  of  350 
men,  to  repair  to  the  City  Hall  and  relieve  Inspector  Carpenter. 
While  here  his  work  was  constant.  Acting  on  information  received,  he 
sent  forces  to  Leonard  and  York  Streets,  to  protect  the  negroes  there,, 
and  punish  the  prowling  gangs  threatening  them.  This  duty  was  thor- 
oughly performed,  and  was  the  means  of  saving  lives,  limbs,  and  prop- 
erty also.  He  detailed  a  force  to  protect  a  provision  store  in  Greenwich 
Street,  near  Cortlandt,  which  he  learned  had  been  broken  open  and  was 
being  sacked.  The  mob  was  attacked,  beaten,  and  dispersed,  and  much 
property  saved.  More  of  his  force  was  sent  to  Brooks  Brothers'  cloth- 
ing store  to  aid  in  its  defence.  Portions  were  detailed  to  protect  the 
hotels  in  Fulton  and  Cortlandt  Streets,  threatened  by  mobs,  the  proprie- 
tors of  which  had  applied  for  aid.  Toward  morning,  he  received  word 
that  a  mob  was  marching  to  Fulton  Ferry  to  meet  the  boats  and  prevent 
the  landing  of  marines  expected  from  the  Navy  Yard,  and  that  they  also 
designed  burning  Fulton  Market,  from  the  occupants  of  which  a  gang, 
attempting  to  kill  a  negro  on  the  previous  day,  received  severe  punish- 
ment. Instantly  Inspector  Leonard  sent  off  a  force  to  defeat  their  pur- 
poses. They,  met  the  mob— a  formidable  one — charged  upon  it  with 
determined  energy,  and  drove  it  in  all  directions. 

It  was  now  daylight,  and  Inspector  Leonard,  who  had  reached  the 
Hall  with  350  men,  had  sent  off,  in  obedience  to  telegraphs  from  head- 
quarters, so  many  detachments  to  divers  sections  that,  by  9  o'clock  A.  M. 
of  Tuesday,  he  found  himself  without  a  man,  and  was  left  alone  in  his 
glory.  'Twas  quite  evident  that  at  headquarters  his  resources  were 
thought  equal  to  his  energy  and  fidelity,  for,  at  that  hour,  another  order 
came  for  another  detachment.  Being  the  only  detachment  left,  he  per- 
sonally reported  himself  as  such  at  headquarters.  Representing  to  Com- 
missioner Acton  the  necessity  for  continuing  a  strong  force  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Printing-house  Square,  he  was  ordered  to  the  command  of  200 
men,  and  with  them  hurried  back  to  the  City  Hall.  Upon  the  square 
and  in  the  Park  were  thousands  of  riotously  disposed  persons,  and  the 
evidences  of  violence  were  gathering  apace  ;  every  unfortunate  negro 
who  appeared  was  chased  and  beaten,  inflammatory  speeches  were  being 


22  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

made,  and  threats  openly  uttered.  All  these  had  increased  at  noon  to 
such  an  extent  that,  taking  100  men,  Mr.  Leonard  swept  the  Park  and 
square,  clearing  them  of  the  dangerous  material ;  considerable  opposi- 
tion was  received,  but,  with  the  small  force  of  brave  spirits,  the  work 
was  done  quickly  and  thoroughly.  Several  times,  during  the  day,  had 
he  to  disperse  the  gatherings  in  these  sections,  and,  by  his  discretion  and 
firmness,  undoubtedly  saved  a  serious  demonstration.  At  eight  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  a  company  of  regulars,  just  arrived,  were  being  followed 
up  Broadway  by  a  hooting,  yelling  mob,  who  were  besliming  and  en- 
deavoring to  intimidate  them.  A  plan  to  assault  them  and  prevent 
their  aiding  the  authorities  was  evidently  perfecting.  Inspector  Leonard, 
accompanied  by  Sergeant  Polly,  of  the  Eleventh  Precinct,  had  met  the 
mob  as  it  passed  the  west  entrance  to  the  Park,  and  mingled  with  it 
until  reaching  Broadway  and  Chambers  Street ;  here  danger  of  an  attack 
by  overwhelming  numbers  was  imminent ;  to  save  the  soldiers  was  the 
first  object,  and  to  do  that  it  was  necessary  to  distract  the  attention  of  the 
mob  from  them.  The  plan  adopted  was  one  of  boldness  and  hazard  :  a 
prominent  ringleader  was  pointed  out  by  the  officer  in  command  to  In- 
spector Leonard,  who  forthwith  seized  him ;  aided  by  Sergeant  Polly 
and  one  patrolman,  the  fellow,  offering  violent  resistance,  was  dragged 
into  the  Park  and  toward  the  City  Hall ;  meantime  the  ruse  had  had  its 
intended  effect ;  the  entire  gang  of  demons,  turning  from  the  soldiers, 
rushed  to  the  rescue  of  their  leader  ;  on  they  came,  three  hundred  against 
three,  but  these  three  determined  men.  "  Kill  them  !  kill  them  !  We'll 
give  you  what  we  gave  Kennedy,"  were  their  shouts,  as  surging  on  they 
sought  to  overthrow  and  rescue.  Facing  the  infuriates  with  his  prisoner 
in  vice-like  grasp,  the  firm  front,  the  uplifted  club,  and  the  plainly  speak- 
ing determination  of  Inspector  Leonard  to  "  do  or  die,"  bravely  seconded 
as  he  was  by  his  two  associates,  awed  the  mob  from  too  close,  too  dan- 
gerous proximity.  Once,  however,  a  rush  was  made  which  threatened 
to  overwhelm  and  crush  them ;  well-directed,  fearless  and  telling  blows 
stunned  and  staggered  back  the  foremost ;  the  prisoner,  held  in  front, 
and  used  as  a  guard  against  the  missiles  and  blows  aimed  at  the  officers, 
was  bleeding  from  the  punishment  received  from  friends  as  well  as  foes. 
Thus,  from  the  Chambers  Street  entrance  to  the  one  from  Broadway, 
ever  facing  the  crowd  and  keeping  it  to  their  front,  Inspector  Leonard 
and  his  aids  succeeded  in  working  their  way.  Here,  and  when  it  was 
indeed  needed,  help  was  at  hand,  for  the  mob,  now  fully  realizing  the 
disproportion  of  strength,  were  preparing  for  one  final  and  overwhelming 
effort.  Fortunately  word  had  reached  the  City  Hall,  and  seventy-five 
of  the  force  came  rushing  to  the  rescue.  The  moment  they  joined  him, 
the  brawny  prisoner,  whom  there  was  no  intention  to  retain,  and  who 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1868.  23 

had  so  well  been  used  for  the  purposes  of  the  ruse  and  the  defence,  was 
cast  aside,  worthless,  bleeding ;  and  in  with  the  reinforcements  the  In- 
spector went  for  exemplary  punishment  to  the  mob.  A  hand-to-hand 
fight  ensued,  heads  were  broken,  men  prostrated  and  laid  in  heaps,  and 
in  less  time  than  it  is  recorded,  those  who  a  few  moments  before  were 
eager  for  and  intent  upon  the  lives  of  the  three  daring  officers,  were  scat- 
tered like  sheep  before  the  gallant  charge  of  the  police,  or  lay  as 
slaughtered.  Inspector  Leonard  was  boldly  in  the  fray,  his  stalwart 
form  being  conspicuous,  his  rapid,  earnestly  meant  and  muscular  blows 
falling  with  telling  effect. 

This  was  the  last  of  the  exciting  duties  in  which  Inspector  Leonard 
was  engaged.  He  remained  on  duty  at  the  Hall,  however,  until  Friday, 
when,  with  his  officers  and  men,  he  was  recalled.  During  his  command 
there  he  had  rendered  invaluable  services  to  that  section  and  the  lower 
portion  of  the  city.  Constantly  on  the  qui  vive,  sending  out  scouts  and 
receiving  prompt  intimation  of  all  designs  there  and  thereabouts,  he 
promptly  met  and  defeated  them.  He  had  immense  interests  to  guard ; 
himself  a  host,  his  officers  and  men  true  as  steel,  they  saved  the 
districts  committed  to  their  care  from  the  consummation  of  well-con- 
cocted plans  of  violence  and  pillage.  Of  active  intelligence  and  proved 
courage,  Inspector  Leonard's  name  shines  brightly  on  the  record  of 
honor. 

Although  Brooklyn  escaped  scenes  similar  to  those  which  disgraced 
and  horrified  New  York,  it  was  evident  that  the  material  was  there  to 
create  them,  and  nothing  but  the  firm  front  of 

INSPECTOR  JOHN  S.  FOLK, 

cordially  seconded  by  his  command,  and  the  military  and  civil  authorities, 
prevented  outbreaks.  He  received  a  dispatch  at  10 J-  o'clock  Monday, 
from  headquarters  New  York,  directing  him  to  call  in  his  reserve,  and  to 
hold  them  in  immediate  readiness.  They  were  on  drill  at  Fort  Green 
at  the  time,  and  forthwith  he  ordered  them  to  their  respective  precincts. 
At  5  o'clock  P.  M.  a  dispatch  was  received  from  Commissioner  Ber- 
gen to  send  his  whole  force  to  New  York,  if,  in  the  Inspector's  opinion, 
it  would  be  safe  for  them  to  leave  Brooklyn.  He  did  think  it  was  safe, 
and  as  soon  thereafter  as  headquarters  could  be  reached  reported  him- 
self at  Mulberry  Street  with  upward  of  two  hundred  men.  On  consul- 
tation with  Commissioners  Acton  and  Bergen,  it  was  thought  best  for 
him  and  his  command  to  return  to  Brooklyn,  to  be  ready  for  any  emer- 
gency that  might  arise  there.  Before  leaving,  and  about  8  P.  M.,  word 
came  of  the  demonstration  on  the   Tribune   Buildings,  and   Inspector 


24  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

Folk  was  ordered  to  join  his  force  to  that  of  Inspector  Carpenter,  ac 
company  him  as  far  as  the  Tribune  Buildings  and  render  what  aid 
was  required  in  dispersing  the  mob  thereabouts.  On  reaching  the  Park, 
the  mob — an  account  of  whose  flight  from  Printing-house  Square,  and 
reception  in  the  Park  by  Mr.  Carpenter's  command,  has  been  given — 
was  severely  dealt  with  by  Inspector  Folk  and  his  command,  who,  be- 
ing on  the  left,  had  the  last  handling  of  the  fleeing,  and  they  made 
havoc,  strewing  the  ground  with  them,  right  and  left.  Inspector  Folk 
escaped  a  huge  club  by  an  adroit  dodge,  and  laid  the  party  wielding  it 
low,  only  to  incur  another  flying  attack,  which  he  met,  evaded,  and  simi- 
larly ended.  This  duty  over,  and  with  cheers  from  Inspector  Carpen- 
ter's force,  Mr.  Folk  at  once  took  up  the  march  for  Brooklyn.  Reach- 
ing Fulton  Ferry,  he  heard  that  but  a  short  time  before  two  negroes  had 
been  killed  on  the  docks  near  by.  Halting  his  command  and  taking  a 
squad  he  made  inspection  of  the  vicinity,  finding  on  a  schooner  two  ne- 
groes, one  with  his  head  terribly  cut  and  his  arm  broken  the  other  only 
suffering  from  body  bruises.  Inspector  Folk  at  once  took  measures  to 
send  the  poor  fellow  most  injured  to  the  hospital.  He  tried  to  hire  two 
hacks,  offering  the  drivers  to  pay  what  they  wanted,  and  to  send  a  guard 
of  police  with  them.  One  was  unwilling  to  bloody  his  carriage,  and 
drove  hastily  away ;  the  other  "  had  a  call,"  and  as  rapidly  followed. 
An  omnibus  at  the  ferry  was  then  hailed,  but  the  driver  represented  that 
it  might  endanger  his  life  and  the  life  of  his  passengers.  The  Inspector, 
seeing  some  justice  in  this,  essayed  elsewhere  and  secured  a  fish  wagon. 
The  wounded  man  was  placed  carefully  in  it,  and  sent  off,  under  suffi- 
cient guard,  to  the  hospital.  This  done,  the  force  returned  to  Brooklyn, 
and  reaching  there  was  dismissed  to  the  several  precincts,  with  direc- 
tions to  hold  themselves  in  readiness  on  a  moment's  notice. 

From  that  time  until  Wednesday  night  nothing  occurred  of  a  seri- 
ous character.  So  well  had  Inspector  Folk  instructed  his  forces,  and  so 
efficiently  had  they  obeyed,  that  the  slightest  lawless  gatherings  were 
met  and  dispersed  by  the  different  precinct  police  and  no  opportunity 
for  any  demonstration  afforded. 

At  about  11£  o'clock  on  Wednesday  evening  the  elevators  in  the 
basin  were  fired,  and  to  them  at  once  Inspector  Folk  and  his  command 
hastened.  Meeting  an  immense  crowd  of  citizens  and  firemen  near  the 
scene,  the  latter  opened  as  they  came  on  the  double-quick  and  gave  them 
cheer  on  cheer  as  they  hurried  through.  On  reaching  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  fire  they  were  greeted  with  groans  and  hisses,  but  with  no 
violence. 

The  incendiaries,  who  were  a  gang  of  laborers,  having  escaped  or 
mingled  with  the  crowd  there  was  nothing  for  the  force  to  do.     Inspec- 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  25 

tor  Folk  remained  with  them  in  the  vicinity,  however,  until  3  A.  M.  of 
the  next  morning,  when  they  were  dismissed  to  their  several  precincts. 

On  Thursday  and  Friday  the  force  was  kept  in  constant  readiness, 
but  their  services  were  not  needed,  and  on  the  latter  day  they  were  dis- 
missed to  their  usual  duties. 

It  is  well  known  that  Inspector  Folk  is  a  man  of  lion  heart,  never 
knowing  what  fear  is ;  fertile  in  emergencies,  and  always  in  the  advance 
where  there  is  danger.  His  long  experience  as  Chief  of  Police,  and  sub- 
sequently as  Inspector,  together'with  the  characteristics  mentioned,  se- 
cured for  him  the  confidence  of  "  all  Brooklyn,"  and  the  military  and 
civil  authorities  were  at  his  disposal.  There  was  great  trepidation  in 
Brooklyn  when  he  left,  and  feeling  of  security  when  he  returned.  His 
headquarters  were  at  the  City  Hall,  and  from  the  Sheriff,  Mayor,  and 
military  authorities,  he  was  tendered  all  the  co-operation  he  could  de- 
sire. His  force — Capt.  Powers,  of  the  Forty-fourth  Precinct,  a  most 
valuable  officer,  being  in  command  under  him— were  faithful,  willing 
and  constant  to  a  man ;  he  cannot  designate  one  who  failed  in  the  en- 
tire and  cheerful  discharge  of  duty. 

To  Inspector  Folk's  excellent  disposition  of  the  small  force  at  his 
command,  to  the  prestige  that  his  determined  character  had  won,  and  his 
constant  vigilance,  Brooklyn  owes  its  immunity  from  burning,  sacking, 
pillage,  and  carnage,  such  as  characterized  its  neighbor  across  the  water. 

The  most  valuable  aid  to  the  promptness  and  efficiency  of  the  action 
of  the  Commissioners  and  force  during  Riot  Week  was  the 

TELEGRAPH  BUREAU, 

composed  of  the  following  gentlemen  :  James  Crowley,  Superintendent ;. 
Eldred  Polhamus,  Deputy  Superintendent ;  Messrs.  Chas.  L.  Chapin, 
John  A.  K.  Duvall,  and  James  A.  Lucas,  Operators. 

This  Bureau  is  considered  the  right  arm  of  the  Police  Department, 
and  certainly,  during  Riot  Week,  more  than  justified  the  estimation. 
The  movements  of  the  force,  and  of  the  military  operating  with  them, 
were  mainly  guided  by  means  of  it,  and  too  much  credit  cannot  be 
awarded  to  those  connected  with  the  Bureau  who  devoted  themselves  so 
constantly  to  its  laborious  duties.  Messrs.  Crowley,  Polhamus,  Du- 
vall, and  Lucas  were,  for  four  days  and  nights,  constantly  occupied, 
faithful  and  laborious,  the  latter  only  yielding  when  he  was  taken  home 
vi  et  armis,  by  order  of  the  Commissioners,  because  of  being  too  ill  to 
safely  remain  at  his  post ;  Mr.  Chapin  also  shared  in  the  duties. 

There  are  thirty-two  telegraphic  stations  in  the  city,  all  centralizing 
at  headquarters ;  they  are  divided  into  five  sections — the  north,  east, 
south,  west,  and  central.     Some  idea  of  the  labor  entailed,  during  the 


26  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

riots,  upon  the  gentlemen  named,  can  be  had,  when  it  is  stated  that 
in  the  first  four  days  there  were  five  thousand  three  hundred  and  seven 
dispatches  received  and  sent  from  headquarters ;  besides  this,  were  a 
large  number  of  telegraphs  from  one  Precinct  to  another.  The  work  in 
this  Bureau  for  the  four  days  exceeded  that  of  the  whole  of  any  one 
month  preceding.  The  inestimable  value  of  the  telegraph  was  never 
better  evidenced  than  on  this  occasion,  and  the  fidelity  and  efficiency  of 
those  in  charge  of  it  never  so  severely  tested  and  so  well  proven. 

Mr.  Polhamus  was  at  the  office  early  Monday  of  the  outbreak,  and 
was  joined  by  Mr.  Crowley  about  11  A.  M.  At  9.20  A.  M.  the  mob 
had  cut  down  the  poles  on  Third  Avenue,  and  thus  destroyed  the  wires 
in  the  north  section,  interrupting  communication  with  the  Precincts  at 
Fort  Washington,  Manhattanville,  Harlem,  Yorkville,  and  Blooming- 
dale,  as  also  with  the  Nineteenth  Precinct.  Fortunately,  however,  at 
an  earlier  hour,  the  operators  had  sent  all  necessary  word  to  these  Pre- 
cincts, so  that  the  forces  therefrom  acted  intelligently  and  without  fur- 
ther instruction.  The  rioters  also  cut  down  the  poles  in  the  First  Ave- 
nue, between  the  Seventeenth  and  Eighteenth  Precincts,  and  destroyed 
the  wires  in  Twenty-second  Street,  in  the  vicinity  of  First,  Second,  and 
Third  Avenues.  Another  mob  cut  down  the  poles  in  Ninth  Avenue,  be- 
tween the  Twentieth  and  Twenty-second  Precincts. 

This  was  the  state  of  affairs  with  the  telegraph  on  Monday  evening, 
and  Messrs.  Crowley  and  Polhamus  started  out  to  repair  lines  and 
renew  connection.  The  details  of  their  operations  it  is  not  proper  to 
give,  but,  by  dint  of  disguises,  ingenuity,  and  courage,  they  succeeded  in 
reconnecting  the  lines  over  house-tops,  through  yards,  and  across  streets, 
and  restoring  communication.  While  engaged  in  doing  this  they  had 
repeatedly  to  mingle  with  the  mob,  appear  to  be  part  and  parcel  of  them, 
and  run  a  hazard  which  none  but  bold  men,  bent  on  a  thorough  discharge 
of  duty,  would  have  incurred.  By  Tuesday  morning  the  work  was  com- 
pleted in  the  north  section,  and  by  Wednesday  evening  they  had  the 
entire  line  in  working  order  again. 

The  rioters  had  cut  down  over  sixty  poles,  using  broadaxes,  and 
leveling  them  close  to  the  sidewalk ;  six  were  cut  down  on  the  Third 
Avenue,  thirty  on  the  First,  a  number  on  Twenty-second  Street,  and 
twenty-four  on  Ninth  Avenue ;  upwards  of  twelve  miles  of  wire  was 
rendered  useless.  When  it  is  remembered  that  Messrs.  Crowley  and 
Polhamus  restored  the  line  without  the  aid  of  a  pole,  and  without  being 
detected  by  the  mob,  though  often  in  their  midst  and  always  in  their 
immediate  vicinity,  the  amount  of  their  labor  and  the  caution,  ingenuity, 
and  courage  required  can  be  estimated. 

The  duty  of  these  repairs,  however,  was  not  the  only  ones  they  were 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  27 

called  on  to  perform,  for  it  was  their's  also  to  accompany  the  police  on 
sundry  expeditions,  and  be  prepared  to  reconstruct  any  communication 
which  might  be  interrupted  during  conflicts  or  riots  arising.  The  force 
bear  willing  testimony  not  only  to  their  promptness  in  doing  this,  but 
to  their  readiness  in  "  taking  a  hand  in  "  when  the  use  of  the  locust  was 
necessary. 

Not  a  few  incidents  of  interest  occurred  to  Messrs.  Crowley  and 
Polhamus  during  the  four  days,fand  we  relate  a  few  of  them  : 

On  the  Monday  of  the  outbreak  Mr.  Crowley  was  on  his  way  to 
town,  frorn  Yorkville,  where  he  resides,  on  the  Third  Avenue  cars.  They 
were  interrupted  and  stopped  by  the  mob,  and  Mr.  Crowley  unsuspect- 
edly  abdicated  with  others  of  the  passengers.  So  soon  as  he  got  out,  he 
discovered  some  of  the  mob  cutting  down  a  telegraph  pole,  and  impul- 
sively hastened  to  prevent  them.     He  was  at  once  pointed  out  as  "A" 

— we  will  not  say  what,  but  substitute  a  dash "  operator,"  and  seized ; 

some  wanted  to  "  smash  him,"  some  to  kill  him,  and  various  equally 
pleasant  propositions  were  made  for  his  disposal.  Quickly  perceiving 
the  state  of  affairs,  he  so  demeaned  himself  as  to  disarm  suspicion  for  a 
while,  at  least,  and  was  kept  a  prisoner  for  over  an  hour  in  the  mob, 
most  of  the  time  closely  guarded,  until,  in  some  exciting  demonstration 
made  by  them  he  was  for  the  time  forgotten,  edged  his  way  out,  and 
betook  himself,  at  a  Flora  Temple  pace,  to  sections  in  which  he  was 
secure.  Had  he  been  known,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  Bureau  to- 
day would  have  been  without  his  intelligent  and  valuable  services. 

When  on  an  expedition  in  Roosevelt  Street,  with  the  police  and  mili- 
tary, Mr.  Polhamus  had  his  boots  burned  off  while  working  his  way 
over  the  burning  timbers  of  the  fires,  there,  in  order  to  discover  the  in- 
jury, if  any,  done  to  the  wires.  Here,  too,  himself  and  Mr.  Crowley, 
both  of  whom  were  in  citizen's  dress,  came  near  being  clubbed  to  death 
by  the  police  of  the  Seventeenth  Ward,  who  took  them  for  rioters,  be- 
cause of  their  eager  movements,  and  they  were  saved  by  the  timely 
interference  of  Capt.  Brower. 

It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  the  rioters,  in  their  operations  on  the  tele- 
graph, were  destroying  that  which  finds  a  large  portion  of  its  duty  in 
restoring  to  them  their  lost  children,  wandering  wives,  sons,  and  brothers. 
During  the  evening  that  preceded  the  destruction,  some  thirteen  of  these 
were  restored  or  their  whereabouts  reported. 

On  Monday  night  Mr.  Polhamus  accompanied  Inspector  Carpenter 
to  the  Tribune  Buildings,  where  such  an  exemplary  punishment  was  ad- 
ministed  to  the  mob.  One  of  the  force  was  shot  while  by  his  side,  Mr. 
P.  narrowly  escaping  the  ball. 

Mr.  Crowley,  on  hearing  that  the  wires  in  the  Ninth  and  Tenth 


28  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

Avenues  had  been  destroyed,  hastened  to  repair  them.  On  reaching  the 
vicinity  and  seeing  there  a  large  mob,  he  hesitated,  very  properly,  to  go 
among  it ;  but  seeing  a  carriage  driving  in  its  direction,  in  which  was  a 
well  and  justly-beloved  Catholic  priest,  a  good  man  and  Christian,  with 
whom  he  was  acquainted,  he  hailed  him  and  was  taken  in.  On  reaching 
Forty-second  Street  and  Tenth  Avenue  the  mob  surrounded  the  carriage 
and  its  inmates,  and,  imagining  (from  their  moral  and  exemplary  appear- 
ance) that  they  were  reporters,  cried,  "  Down  with  the  d — d  reporters  ! " 
&c,  &c.  Matters  looked -threatening  enough  until  the  good  man — we 
refer  now  to  the  priest — made  himself  recognized,  and  under  his  recogni- 
tion Mr.  Crowley  escaped. 

On,  several  occasions  Messrs.  Crowley  and  Polhamus  took  a  hack 
and  acted  as  its  drivers,  both  seated  on  the  box.  Thus  they  visited  the 
infected  districts  frequently,  and  brought  back  to  headquarters  valuable 
information.  On  one  occasion,  however,  these  amateur  Jehus  found 
themselves  in  a  predicament.  They  had  been  up  the  Third  Avenue,  and 
were  returning ;  had  reached  Houston  Street,  and  were  hailed  by  some 
five  of  a  prowling  gang,  who  demanded  that  they  should  drive  them 
down  town.  The  Jehus  were  unarmed,  and  compliance  was  the  better 
part  of  valor ;  the  route  was  along  Houston  Street,  too,  and  once  Mul- 
berry Street  reached,  the  drivers  were  all  safe  and  the  inmates  prisoners. 
So  "  Get  in,  boys  ! "  was  the  response.  They  had  not  driven  far,  how- 
ever, before  a  counter  drive  was  ordered,  and,  under  indications  of  some 
four  or  five  pistols,  was  complied  with.  Reaching  an  ale-house  in  the 
Tenth  Ward,  the  party  got  out,  declared  Crowley  and  Polhamus  to  be 
"  good  boys,"  and  not  only  entertained  them  with  lemonade,  but  paid 
them  fifty  cents  for  the  compulsory  drive.  The  one  was  drank,  the 
other  received,  and  they  left, — the  party  of  outlaws  impressed  with  the 
belief  that  they  were  as  jolly  and  good-natured  drivers  as  hack-stands 
can  boast  of.     This  occurred  at  4£  o'clock  Wednesday  morning. 

On  Tuesday  morning,  at  three  o'clock,  Messrs.  Crowley  and  Pol- 
hamus were  coming  down  Third  Avenue  in  a  carriage.  They  passed 
Eighty-sixth  Street  and  did  not  see  a  soul  stirring;  before  reaching 
Seventy-seventh  Street  the  store  on  the  corner  of  Eighty-sixth  Street 
and  the  avenue  was  a  mass  of  flames.  The  rioters  and  thieves  must 
have  been  at  work  as  they  drove  by. 

.While  making  an  examination-  of  the  wires  in  the  Second  Avenue, 
Mr.  Crowley  was  suspected  by  the  mob,  set  upon,  and  only  escaped 
severe  usage  by  mingling  in  with  them,  and,  to  all  appearances,  being  as 
ready  for  lawlessness  and  spoils  as  they. 

On  the  many  trips  of  himself  and  Mr.  Polhamus,  their  wagons 
broke  down  twice, — once  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  a  First-Avenue 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  29 

mob.  They  were  soon  surrounded,  and  would  have  been  killed  had  their 
identity  been  established.  A  plausible  story  of  being  Westchester  farm- 
ers saved  them,  though  a  demand  for  money  was  not  complied  with. 

Among  the  obligations  due  from  our  citizens  for  thj  prompt  suppres- 
sion of  the  riot  and  their  exemption  from  unprecedented  excesses,  those 
to  the  gentlemen  named  in  this  article  are  not  the  least.  They  proved 
themselves,  those  in  the  office  and  those  whose  duties  called  them  from 
it,  the  former  faithful,  constant,  unwearying,  and  the  latter  energetic  and 
courageous, — accomplishing,  through  perils  which  few  would  voluntarily 
encounter,  a  work  which,  for  the  well-being  of  the  city,  was  of  the  great- 
est importance. 

An  invaluable  portion  of  the  Metropolitan  Police  at  all  times,  and 
especially  in  such  emergencies  as  arose  during  Riot  Week,  is  the 


DETECTIVE   FORCE 


which  is  organized  with  John  Young  as  Chief;  M.  B.  Morse,  Clerk  ;  and 
the  following  force :  Messrs.  Bennett,  McCord,  Farley,  Roach,  Rad- 
ford, Smith,  Slowey,  Dusenbury,  Macdougal,  Elder,  Eustace,  Wil- 
son, Kelso,  Tieman,  and  Keefe. 

The  requirements  for  a  Detective  are  more  than  ordinary  intelli- 
gence, shrewdness,  and  sagacity,  and  an  unfailing  supply  of  courage.  The 
work  performed  by  the  force  named,  more  than  sustained  any  claims 
that  might  be  made  for  the  possession  of  these  qualifications. 

Those  of  this  force  living  up  town  had  early  indications  of  the  riots. 
They  mingled  with  the  mob,  ascertained  their  feelings  and  purposes,  and, 
on  this  information,  hastened  to  headquarters,  giving  information,  on 
which  many  prompt,  intelligent  and  effective  movements  were  based. 

The  operations  of  this  Department  can  only  be  spoken  of  generally, 
as  it  would  be  adverse  to  its  efficiency  to  detail  the  many  moves  adopted 
by  its  members  to  perfect  the  duties  upon  which  they  were  sent.  But 
during  the  riots  they  were  incessantly  occupied,  night  and  day,  getting 
for  four  days  and  nights  no  rest,  and  being  constantly  on  secret  service 
or  acting  as  scouts  and  guides  for  the  military  and  police  in  their  differ- 
ent dispositions.  Chief  Young,  in  reviewing  the  conduct  of  each  indi- 
vidual member  of  his  command,  cannot  name  one  who  did  not  discharge 
his  duty  thoroughly,  faithfully,  and  courageously.  It  must  be  remem- 
bered that  it  was  theirs  to  go  into  the  infected  districts,  penetrate  to  the 
very  heart  of  the  mob,  and  be  where  identification  would  have  been  fol- 
lowed by  a  horrible  death.  They  went  disguised  in  all  ways,  now  as 
laborers  and  again  as  rioters,  sometimes  on  horseback,  sometimes  driving 
hacks  and  carts,  and  often  were  part  and  parcel  of  the  lawless.     On  sev- 


30  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

eral  occasions  the  members  of  the  force  were  suspected  as  "  Kennedy's 
spies,"  and  nothing  but  a  bold  front,  earnest  denial,  and  prompt  co-ope- 
ration with  the  mob,  saved  their  lives.  On  many  occasions,  while 
walking  through  fye  riotous  crowds,  they  would  evade  suspicion  by 
going,  as  though  on  business,  to  dwellings,  ringing  the  bells  and  enter- 
ing. On  getting  inside  they  explained  the  exigency  and  waited  there 
till  it  had  passed. 

The  designed  movements  of  the  rioters  toward  the  lower  portion  of 
the  city  were  ascertained  by  the  detectives,  and  the  prompt  information 
brought  to  headquarters  enabled  the  Commissioners  to  meet  and  defeat 
them. 

Detective  Slowey  was  the  only  one  of  the  force  injured.  He  was 
in  the  heart  of  the  riotous  district  on  the  Second  Avenue,  and  was  identified 
and  set  upon.  He  made  good  fight,  but  was  knocked  down  and  badly 
beaten ;  regaining  his  feet  he  managed  to  get  on  to  the  steps  of  a  house, 
where  he  kept  the  gang  at  bay  until  the  courageous  lady  occupying  it 
opened  the  door  and  admitted  him.  He  remained  here  until  his  howling 
assailants  left  and  then  again  started  on  duty. 

The  telegraph  communications,  as  we  have  heretofore  stated,  were 
cut  off  in  several  directions,  and  the  Detectives  had  to  convey  the  many 
messages  which  the  destruction  interrupted.  This  duty  involved  the 
greatest  risk  of  life,  but  was  always  promptly  and  successfully  per- 
formed. 

During  the  sacking  and  burning  of  the  different  premises,  portions 
of  the  Detectives  were  present,  and,  "  spotting  "  the  ringleaders  would 
follow  them  afterward  for  hours,  until  they  separated  from  their  asso- 
ciates, and  then  pouncing  upon  them  would  run  them  into  the  nearest 
station-house.     Thus  many  important  arrests  were  made. 

On  and  after  Tuesday,  when  the  rioters  took  the  shape  of  thieves, 
the  detective  force  made  visits  to  the  different  "  Lushing  Cribs "  in 
Eighth  and  Fourteenth  Streets,  some  six  places  in  all,  and  arrested  about 
thirty  noted  burglars,  thieves,  and  garroters,  of  this  and  other  cities,  who 
were  on  hand  to  reap  a  harvest.  The  rascals  were  locked  up  until  the 
excitement  was  over,  and  by  this  much  property  was  saved. 

At  the  fight  at  Pitt  and  Broome  Streets,  between  the  military  and 
rioters,  where  the  latter  were  so  fearfully  slaughtered,  the  Detectives 
were  prominent,  having  notified  headquarters  of  the  mob  and  acted  as 
guides  for  the  military.  It  was  the  scene  of  the  most  exemplary  punish- 
ment the  mob  during  the  four  days  received.  But  for  the  Detectives 
and  their  promptness  on  that  occasion,  there  would  have  been  riot  and 
pillage  in  the  very  heart  of  the  city.  The  mob  which  made  the  first 
attack  on  the  Mayor's  house,  Fifth  Avenue,  was  also  accompanied  by 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  31 

the  Detectives,  and  word  was  conveyed  by  them  to  headquarters,  which 
secured  for  the  rioters  the  reception  they  had  at  Broadway  and  Amity 
Street  by  Inspector  Carpenter  and  his  command.  In  this  fight  the  De- 
tectives— only  three  were  together  at  any  time — took  a  hand  and  did 
great  execution. 

During  the  riots  this  force  was  also  occupied  in  giving  information 
to  the  negroes  in  quarters  threatened  by  the  mob,  and  directing  them 
where  to  find  safety,  in  escorting  citizens  home  through  the  infected  dis- 
tricts, and  in  fact  were  ubiquitous  and  ever  at  work.  One  duty  per- 
formed was  visiting  the  different  forts  in  the  vicinity,  and  conveying 
orders  to  those  in  command  of  the  forces  there.  After  the  riots  were 
over  the  duty  of  the  force  did  not  cease,  for  they  were  engaged  in  dis- 
covering the  whereabouts  of  the  stolen  goods,  and  in  this  their  services 
have  been  of  the  utmost  value,  and  by  them  an  immense  amount  of 
property  has  been  recovered. 

Although  the  Detective  force  was  not  in  many  of  the  fights,  its  duties, 
as  will  readily  be  seen,  were  of  the  most  important,  constant,  and  peril- 
ous character.  It  has  covered  itself  with  honor,  and  our  citizens  will 
recognize  in  it  one  of  the  most  valuable,  faithful,  and  effective  protectives 
to  the  peace  of  the  city  and  individual  security.  Only  numbering  fif- 
teen, yet  this  force  accomplished,  successfully  and  bravely,  an  amount  of 
work  of  which  the  mention  made  gives  but  a  glimpse. 

Chief  Young,  who  was  busily  engaged  at  headquarters  during  the 
riot,  beside  the  direction  of  his  command  had  the  additional  labor  of 
"Commissary  of  Subsistence"  for  the  police,  military,  specials,  and 
refugees  concentrated  there.  There  were  unitedly  over  5,000  to  be  fed 
daily ;  and  so  well  did  he  manage  that  not  one  but  who  had  an  abund- 
ance of  everything,  and  all  of  the  best,  without  confusion  or  discomfort. 
Some  50,000  gallons  of  coffee  were  furnished  during  his  commissaryship, 
and  he  mentions  as  an  interesting  fact  that,  among  the  thousands  con- 
gregating at  headquarters,  not  a  single  case  occurred  where  a  party  was 
under  the  influence  of  liquor.  Chief  Young  attributes  this  to  the  ever- 
ready  and  liberal  supply  of  coffee,  which  was  eagerly  taken  in  preference 
to  all  other  stimulants.  He  was  efficiently  aided,  during  the  arduous 
days  and  nights,  in  this  new  branch  of  business,  by  Sergeant  Lefferts 
and  assistants,  of  the  Fourth  District  Court,  and  Officer  Webb,  of  the 
Superintendent's  Office,  both  of  whom  were  unwearying. 

The  record  of  the  Detective  force  affords  no  very  thrilling  incidents, 
notwithstanding  theirs  were  duties  of  constant  hazard  and  of  vital  im- 
portance to  the  public.  Chief  Young,  whose  fitness  for  his  position  has 
been  fully  manifested,  intelligently  directed  their  movements.  He  has 
fully  proven  his  capacity  for  the  important  position  he  holds,  and  the 


32  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

detectives,  guided  by  his  intelligent  and  cool  judgment,  have  made  for 
themselves  an  honorable  prominence  and  reputation. 

It  is  now  proposed  to  speak  of  the  several  precincts,  and  the  duties 
performed  by  the  forces  thereof.  From  the  details  there  will  be  an 
opportunity  of  judging  of  the  amount  of  labor  performed,  and  the 
fidelity  which  characterized  the  performance.  The  precincts  will  be 
taken  in  their  numerical  order  : 


First  Precinct. 

Jacob  B.  Warlow,  Captain,  No.  29  Broad  Street.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  Monday  of  Riot  Week  Capt.  Warlow  was  ordered  with  his 
command  to  headquarters.  He  at  once  sent  there  one  section  under 
Roundsman  Connor,  which  participated  in  the  defeat  of  the  mob, 
in  the  afternoon,  at  Broadway  and  Amity  Street.  His  entire  command 
reported  at  headquarters  toward  evening,  and  were  ordered  on  duty  at 
the  City  Hall.  Here  about  8  o'clock  Capt.  Warlow  received  word  that 
there  was  a  riot  in  his  own  district  and  orders  to  quell  it.  Sergts. 
Cherry  and  McCleary  started  in  advance  of  the  force,  and  meeting  a 
body  of  rioters  in  New  Street  were  attacked,  stoned,  and  badly  beaten 
before  Capt.  Warlow  and  force  could  come  to  their  rescue,  they  having 
en  route  been  detained  by  a  demonstration  made  upon  Downixg's  saloon, 
Broad  Street.  When  the  force  did  reach  them,  short  work  was  made  of 
the  assailants.  The  command  then  repaired  to  its  station-house,  where 
a  dispatch  to  proceed  to  the  Tribune  Buildings  was  received ;  instantly 
off  on  double-quick,  on  reaching  Nassau  and  Spruce  Streets  a  charge  was 
made  upon  the  mob,  which  had  already  sacked  and  were  setting  fire  to 
the  office,  and  it  was  driven  in  all  directions.  During  this  attack  upon 
the  mob  Officer  Welling  was  shot  in  the  right  shoulder.  The  force 
remained  in  charge  of  the  building  till  10  P.  M.,  when  ordered  to  head- 
quarters, and  were  on  duty  there  all  night. 

Tuesday  the  First  Precinct  force  were  a  portion  of  Inspector  Carpen- 
ter's command  on  the  visit  to  the  Second  Avenue,  and  participated  in 
the  duties  and  dangers  of  that  hazardous  tour.  On  return  to  headquar- 
ters, were  again  sent  to  the  City  Hall.  At  2  P.  M.  thirty  men  were 
sent,  under  Sergeant  Matthew,  to  report  for  duty  to  Capt.  Bryan,  of 
the  Fourth  Precinct,  and  subsequently  assisted  in  repelling  the  attack  on 
Brooks  Brothers'  clothing  store  ;  this  force  remained  in  the  Fourth 
Precinct  until  Saturday,  pretty  constantly  engaged  in  dispersing  crowds 
and  saving  persons  and  property.  The  balance  of  the  force  on  Wednes- 
day had  permanently  returned  to  its  own  precinct. 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  33 

Capt.  Warlow  awards  to  his  men  the  highest  praise  as  prompt, 
willing,  courageous.  Sergt.  Babcock,  who  was  absent,  on  hearing  of  the 
riot,  returned  and  reported  for  duty  before  expiration  of  leave. 

On  the  morning  of  the  14th,  in  Second  Avenue,  the  fighting  was 
very  severe,  gun  and  pistol  shots  and  missiles  of  all  kinds  being  hurled 
from  the  buildings  on  to  the  police.  In  the  charge  ordered  by  Inspector 
Carpenter  into  the  houses,  up  and  on  to  their  roofs,  the  First  Pre- 
cinct were  prominent.  To  reach  the  rioters  overhead  was  a  perilous 
task ;  the  scuttles  were  narrow ;  six  determined  men  could  have  kept 
five  hundred  at  bay ;  but  a  portion  of  the  force  made  a  rush,  and  soon 
gained  the  roofs,  where  a  hand-to-hand  conflict  ensued ;  in  every  in- 
stance the  rioters  were  knocked  senseless ;  others  searched  the  rooms. 
Rioters  in  their  fright  dropped  from  second  and  third  story  windows, 
some  escaping  unharmed,  others  receiving  fearful  injuries. 

Four  of  the  rioters  fled  into  a  yard,  and  took  shelter  in  an  out-house. 
They  were  well  armed,  and  how  to  get  them  out  was  the  question.  As- 
sailing their  shelter  would  be  certain  death.  At  length  an  ingenious 
plan  was  adopted  to  dislodge  them.  A  large  coping-stone,  from  the 
roof  of  the  house  overtopping  it,  was  dropped  on  the  out-house,  demol- 
ishing one  side  and  uncovering  the  refugees,  who  on  the  instant  were 
assailed  by  the  police  in  waiting,  and  rendered  powerless  for  good  or 
evil.  During  this  exciting  and  terrible  fight  Capt.  Waulow  was  struck 
on  the  foot  with  a  stone,  and  two  of  his  toes  mashed  badly,  but  he  contin- 
ued, thus  crippled,  on  duty. 

On  the  evening  of  the  14th,  when  Brooks  Brothers'  clothing  store 
was  attacked,  and  thirty  of  this  precinct  served  in  its  defence,  all  the 
street  lamps  in  the  vicinity  were  turned  out,  and  the  lights  in  all  the  ad- 
jacent houses  were  extinguished.  The  night  was  very  dark.  The  charge 
of  the  police  upon  the  mob  was  met  by  a  volley  of  musketry,  stones, 
bricks,  &c,  from  all  directions.  Brooks  Brothers'  store  had  been 
lighted  up  by  the  rioters  so  as  to  enable  them  to  select  and  carry  off  the 
most  valuable  of  the  goods.  When  in  front  of  the  building,  Sergt.  Mat- 
thew, with  his  men,  of  the  First  Precinct,  charged  into  the  store,  and 
attacked  the  rioters.  Then  commenced  a  scene  which  is  indescribable. 
The  thieves  attempted  to  rush  through  the  police  and  escape.  Some  fell 
upon  their  knees  before  the  uplifted  clubs,  shrieking  for  mercy,  while  the 
others  wildly  rushed  in  search  of  ways  for  safe  exit.  On  the  second  story, 
however,  the  rioters  showed  fight ;  but  the  police,  making  a  determined 
charge,  soon  drove  them  into  the  rear  building,  where  the  majority  of 
them,  with  most  of  their  spoils,  were  kept,  and  ultimately  secured. 

The  appearance  of  the  officers  was  hailed  with  terror  by  most  of  the 
lawless.  Some  jumped  down  stairs  at  one  leap,  while  others  were  saved 
8 


34r  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

the  trouble  of  a  similar  agile  performance  by  the  application  of  the  locust,. 
Those  rioters  who  were  driven  outside  the  building  were  attended  to  by 
the  reserves  of  the  Third  and  Fourth  Precincts,  who  drove  them,  with 
terrible  punishment,  down  Catharine  and  through  Cherry  Street. 

Officer  Van  Rakst,  of  the  First  Precinct,  received  a  pistol  ball  in  his 
cap,  where  it  lodged,  and  was  found  by  him  the  next  morning.  Had  he 
been  but  a  little  taller  the  bullet  would  have  pierced  his  brain. 

At  the  time  the  Sergeants  were  beaten  in  New  Street,  Mr.  Cherry 
had  a  negro  under  his  protection,  whom  he  ultimately  succeeded  in 
saving. 

One  of  the  rioters,  a  tall,  powerful  fellow,  at  Brooks  Brothers'  storer 
made  savage  fight.  Two  of  the  police  of  the  First  Precinct  found  it 
necessary  for  their  own  safety  to  quiet  him.  It  was  the  alternative  of 
their  lives  or  his.  He  had  loaded  himself  with  plunder,  and  only  dropped 
it  to  make  fight  with  them. 

After  the  force  of  the  First  Precinct  had  been  returned  to  their  sta- 
tion-house, they  were  engaged  in  recovering  stolen  goods,  visiting  the 
tenement  houses  in  Cherry  and  Market  Streets,  and  recovered  several 
wagon  loads  of  property. 

The  record  of  this  precinct  is  an  honorable  one,  and  the  Captain,  his 
officers,  and  men  never  once  failed  in  an  entire  and  thorough  discharge 
of  their  duty. 

Second  Precinct. 

On  Monday  the  force  of  the  Second  Precinct,  No.  49  Beekman  Street,. 
Capt.  Squires,  were  kept  in  the  ward  because  of  the  many  riotous 
demonstrations  at  and  around  Printing-house  Square. 

The  beginning  of  the  disturbances  in  this  precinct  was  in  South 
Street,  where  a  gang  attacked  a  n^gro  sailor.  He  was  rescued  by  Offi- 
cers Waters  and  Gillen,  after  much  difficulty  ;  who  also  arrested  several 
of  his  assailants.  All  the  hotels  and  restaurants  in  that  section  having 
colored  help  were  threatened,  and  by  noon  a  large  crowd  had  gathered 
in  Park  Row.  Every  car  and  omnibus  was  searched  for  colored  people, 
and  any  discovered  were  set  upon  and  beaten.  The  whole  force  were  en- 
gaged in  preventing  these  assaults.  Sergeant  Cornwell,  with  a  section 
of  men,  was  active  in  rescuing  the  unfortunate  victims,  and,  with  his 
force,  was  the  means  of  saving  many  from  savage,  and  probably  fatal, 
usa^e.  In  this  duty  they  incurred  the  jeers  and  abuse  of  the  mob,  but 
had  no  collision. 

During  the  absence  of  the  force,  Sergeant  Esterbrook,  with  one 
man,  was  left  in  charge  of  the  station.     A  number  of  colored  people  had 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863,  35 

fled  to  it  for  protection,  and  the  mob  paid  it  a  visit,  intending  to  seize 
them  and  fire  the  building.  The  Sergeant  and  his  aid  boldly  met  them, 
threatening  to  shoot  the  first  one  who  attempted  to  enter.  Their  bold 
front  kept  the  mob  at  bay  until  reinforcements  arrived,  before  whom  the 
rioters  scattered.  In  the  afternoon  Sergeant  Kelly,  with  a  platoon  of 
men,  dispersed  gatherings  in  the  Park.  In  the  evening  a  portion  of  the 
force  patrolled  the  precinct,  the  balance  being  held  in  reserve  at  the  sta. 
tion.  Sergeant  Snodgrass,  in  citizen's  dress,  mingled  among  the  mob  at 
the  Tribune  Buildings,  and  ascertaining  that  the  design  was  to  fire  it 
hurried  back  to  the  station,  and,  in  command  of  the  reserve,  returned  to 
the  scene,  joining  in  the  successful  assault  upon  the  mob.  Sergeants  Es- 
terbrook  and  Cornwell  also  participated  in  this,  Sergeant  Kelly  re- 
maining in  charge  of  the  precinct.  Much  hard  patrol  duty  was  done  by 
the  force  the  balance  of  the  night. 

During  the  evening  one  section,  under  Sergeant  Snodgrass,  was 
transferred  to  headquarters,  and,  on  Tuesday,  participated  in  the  attack 
by  Inspector  Carpenter's  command  upon  the  houses  in  Second  Avenue, 
near  Twenty-second  Street,  and  in  the  subsequent  encounters  in  that  sec- 
tion. On  the  occasion  of  the  storming  of  the  houses,  Officers  Watson 
and  Cole  entered  into  rivalry  to  see  who  would  first  reach  the  roof  of  a 
building  from  which  the  rioters  had  been  especially  annoying.  They 
reached  the  scuttle  together,  but  it  being  only  large  enough  to  pass  one 
at  a  time,  Watson  edged  through  and  won  the  first  honors.  He  was 
forthwith  attacked  by  a  rioter  armed  with  a  bar  of  iron,  who  made  a 
lunge  at  his  head ;  he  dodged  and  escaped,  but  so  violently  had  the  fel- 
low struck,  that  on  missing  his  mark  he  lost  his  balance,  and  would  have 
fallen  to  the. street  but  for  a  blow  from  Watson's  club,  which  knocked 
him  back  and  sent  him  reeling  down  upon  the  roof.  Officer  Cole,  al- 
though behind  Watson  on  the  roof,  was  not  a  whit  behind  him,  when 
there,  in  courage  and  execution.  He  was  instantly  encountered  by  the 
rioters,  but  his  courage  and  coolness  stood  him  well  in  hand.  All  the 
force  of  this  precinct  present  on  this  occasion  were  actively  engaged 
and  exhibited  the  utmost  courage. 

On  return  to  headquarters,  the  platoon  was  transferred  to  Capt. 
Lord's  command,  on  guard  duty,  where  it  remained,  doing  valuable 
duty,  until  Saturday,  when  it  was  ordered  to  its  own  quarters. 

Besides  the  services  mentioned,  one  section  of  this  precinct  was 
detailed  for  duty  on  the  river,  which  was  vigilantly  performed. 

On  Monday,  Sergt.  Snodgrass  notified  headquarters  of  an  intended 
attack  on  the  Fifth-avenue  Hotel— getting  his  information  from  the  mob 
up   Broadway.     It  was  thus  anticipated  and  prevented. 

The  officers  and   men  of  this  precinct  did  thoroughly  all  they  were 


36  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

called  upon  to  do,  and  there  was  no  instance  of  hesitancy  or  want  of 
nerve  among  them. 


Third  Precinct. 

The  force  of  the  Third  Precinct,  No.  160  Chambers  Street,  Capt. 
Greer,  repaired,  at  5  P.  M.  on  Monday,  to  headquarters,  Sergts.  Finney, 
Robinson,  and  Webb  accompanying;  at  6  P.  M.,  with  Inspector  Car- 
penter's command,  marched  to  the  Park,  and  took  a  hand  in  the  punish- 
ment of  the  rioters  who  were  fleeing  after  their  defeat  at  the  Tribune 
Buildings.  On  the  same  evening  they  were  with  Inspector  Carpenter  in 
the  tour  through  the  Fourth  Ward,  thence  proceeding  to  headquarters, 
where  they  were  held  in  reserve  all  night. 

On  Tuesday,  on  duty  with  Inspector  Carpenter's  command  in  the 
hazardous  visit  to  Second  Avenue  and  tour  through  the  infected  vicinity 
thereof,  and  then  were  ordered  to  Inspector  Leonard's  command  at  the 
City  Hall.  Sergt.  Finney,  with  twenty-five  of  the  force,  was  sent  by  the 
Inspector  to  Capt.  Bryan,  of  the  Fourth,  to  assist  in  suppressing  the  riot 
at  Brooks  Brothers'  clothing  store.  This  done,  and  they  returned,  the 
whole  force  being  held  in  reserve  at  the  City  Hall  until  Wednesday 
night.  Meantime,  however,  detachments  were  constantly  being  sent  on 
duty ;  in  the  afternoon,  to  protect  Stuart's  sugar  refinery,  at  Chambers 
and  Greenwich  Streets ;  then  to  suppress  a  disturbance  at  Pier  No.  4, 
North  River,  which  they  did,  dispersing  the  rioters;  and  again  to  the  re- 
finery. 

Each  duty  was  well  performed ;  numerous  growing  disturbances 
were  checked.  From  Thursday  morning  the  force  was  held  in  reserve 
at  its  own  station  until  Saturday,  when  it  resumed  ordinary  patrol  duty; 
meantime,  however,  Capt.  Greer  had  been  keeping  scouting  parties  out, 
who  thoroughly  worked  the  entire  precinct. 

During  the  tour  through  the  Fourth  Ward  Sergeant  Robinson  was 
attacked  by  a  tall,  powerful  fellow,  who  aimed  a  blow  at  his  head  with  a 
cooper's  adze.  He  evaded  this,  and  with  a  well  directed  return  from  his 
club  knocked  the  rascal  senseless. 

At  the  assault  on  the  houses  on  Second  Avenue,  from  which  the 
rioters  had  been  firing  and  hurling  missiles,  Sergeant  Robinson  called 
on  the  men  of  the  Third  to  follow  him,  and  charged  upon  a  porter-house 
from  which  much  injury  had  been  inflicted.  He  was  followed  by  Ser- 
geant Finney,  Roundsman  Farrell,  and  others,  forced  an  entrance;  drove 
the  gang  inside  up  on  to  the  roof  or  out  of  the  windows.  One  escaped 
by  jumping  from  the  second-story  window;  another  fell  from  the  roof 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  37 

and  was  badly  injured.  The  house  was  speedily  cleared  and  all  who 
could  be  got  hold  of  were  severely  punished. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Col.  O'Brien  came  up  with  his  command, 
the  police  giving  him  the  front.  He  unlimbered  his  pieces,  notified  the 
mob  in  the  street  to  disperse,  and  after  waiting  for  them  to  do  so  a  suffi- 
cient time,  fired ;  he  had  elevated  his  guns  so  as  to  shoot  over  the  heads 
of  the  crowd,  giving  as  his  reason  that  he  did  not  want  to  hurt  them  if 
scaring  would  do  as  well.     He  was  fiendishly  murdered  soon  after. 

When  ordered  to  aid  in  saving  Brooks  Brothers'  store,  Sergt. 
Finney  took  his  men  all  the  way  on  the  double-quick.  After  reaching 
there,  upwards  of  a  hundred  shots  were  fired  by  the  rioters ;  Sergt. 
Finney  was  wounded  in  the  face,  and  Roundsman  Farrell  took  com- 
mand during  the  balance  of  the  conflict,  which  was  short  and  decisive, 
the  Third  doing  bravely.  Roundsman  Farrell  (it  was  a  close  fight 
at  Brooks')  broke  his  club  on  the  first  blow,  and  then  used  his  pistol. 
Many  of  the  rioters,  finding  themselves  beaten,  fell  on  their  knees  and 
begged  for  mercy ;  others  jumped  from  the  lower  floors  of  the  store, 
and  others  rushed  against  locked  and  barred  doors,  hoping  to  burst  them 
open  and  escape.     They  paid  heavily  for  that  night's  transgression. 

The  force,  after  this  duty,  were  returned  to  the  City  Hall  at  10  P.  M. 
Sergt.  Robinson  was  ordered  by  Inspector  Leonard  to  take  charge  of 
Printing-house  Square,  which  he  did,  with  fifteen  men  of  his  precinct. 
All  was  quiet  there  until  two  o'clock  A.  M.  of  Tuesday,  when  a  gang  of 
rioters  appeared,  and  threatened  the  Times  and  Tribune  Buildings.  A 
banner  carried  by  them  was  inscribed,  "  We'll  hang  old  Greeley  on  a 
sour-apple  tree,"  and  this  line  they  were  singing.  Before  they  could 
know  who  assailed  them  Sergt.  Robinson,  with  his  little  force,  made  a 
charge  and  gave  them  a  shower  of  locust.  They  fled,  feeling,  if  not 
singing,  a  different  tune  from  the  one  to  which  they  had  adapted  the  line 
quoted. 

An  hour  later,  Sergt.  Robinson  detected  a  man  prowling  around  the 
Tribune  office ;  questions  only  begot  from  him  evasive  answrers ;  he  was 
arrested,  searched,  and  a  revolver,  full-cocked,  with  two  barrels  dis- 
charged, found  on  him.  He  proved  to  be  James  Fitzgerron,  was 
locked  up,  and  next  morning  committed  in  default  of  $500  bail. 

The  scouting  parties  sent  out  by  Capt.  Greer  were  of  great  service 
in  his  precinct — during  the  period  of  the  excitement  all  acts  of  pillage 
being  prevented. 

On  Thursday,  at  5  P.  M.,  while  Sergt.  Robinson  was  at  the  Hudson 
River  depot,  a  colored  woman,  with  a  babe  in  her  arms,  came  up  and 
begged  protection.  He  said  she  should  have  it,  and  meantime  two  more 
colored  women  and  three  more  children  appealed  to  him.     He  conducted 


38  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

them  to  the  station-house,  where  Capt.  Greer  gave  them  shelter  and 
food ;  they  had  been  without  food,  and  hiding  here  and  there,  for  over 
forty-eight  hours. 

On  Saturday,  18th,  at  6  P.  M.,  Sergt.  Robinson  and  a  section  of 
men  were  ordered  to  the  Central  Office  on  special  duty.  At  4  A.  M. 
on  Sunday,  they  were  ordered  to  join  the  command  of  Capt.  Dixon,  of 
the  Twenty-eighth  Precinct,  which  embarked  at  the  foot  of  Canal  Street 
for  a  visit  to  different  towns  on  the  Hudson,  where  trouble  was  antici- 
pated. Hastings,  Tarry  town,  Sing  Sing,  and  Peekskill  were  visited  ;  at 
each  place  the  men  disembarked  and  made  reconnoissance.  On  the  re- 
turn from  Peekskill  all  these  places  were  again  visited.  The  command 
returned  to  this  city  on  the  following  evening. 

On  Wednesday,  at  4  A.  M.,  Sergeant  Robinson,  with  seven  men, 
formed  another  command,  under  Capt.  Dixon,  on  an  expedition  to  Sta- 
ten  Island.  They  landed  at  Port  Richmond,  from  thence  proceeded  to 
New  Brighton,  and  then  across  to  Quarantine.  Here  Capt.  Dixon  heard 
of  a  disturbance  near  Wood  Road,  where  a  day  before  two  soldiers  had 
been  killed.  He  repaired  at  once  to  Vanderbilt  Landing,  was  refused 
the  co-operation  of  some  military  there,  but  proceeded,  with  his  small 
force,  to  and  through  the  whole  district  where  the  trouble  had  occurred. 
About  3  P.  M.  the  force  returned  to  the  city,  and  were  met  at  Canal 
Street  by  a  company  of  the  Seventh  Regiment  who  were  in  waiting  to 
accompany  them  to  Flushing.  Off  they  started  again,  arriving  there  at 
8  P.  M.,  when  a  thorough  tour  of  the  place  was  made.  The  force  quar- 
tered on  the  boat  that  night,  a  guard  being  left  on  duty.  Next  morn- 
ing again  patrolled  the  village  and  vicinity,  and  at  11  A.  M.  returned 
to  New  York,  when  the  expedition  was  dismissed,  each  squad  being  or- 
dered to  its  precinct. 

It  will  be  admitted  that  the  force  of  the  Third  Precinct  were  kept 
pretty  constantly  engaged,  abroad  as  well  as  at  home ;  and  their  duties, 
constant  and  arduous  as  they  were,  were  most  faithfully  and  willingly 
performed. 

Fourth  Precinct. 

Monday  afternoon,  a  portion  of  the  force  of  the  Fourth  Precinct — 
Captain  Bryan,  No.  9  Oak  Street — reported  at  headquarters,  under  Ser- 
geants Delany  and  Lockwood, — only  one  section  being  retained  at  the 
station,  under  Sergeants  Rode  and  Williams,  the  former  in  command. 
This  was  engaged  all  day  in  saving  the  lives  of  colored  persons  in  the 
precinct,  some  seventy  of  whom  were  rescued  from  gangs,  and  brought 
for  safety  to  the  station-house.    Roundsman  Webb  was  unwearying  and 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  39 

most  faithful  in  discharge  of  this  duty.  During  the  day,  thirteen  houses 
occupied  by  this  class  were  sacked  and  partially  burned,  the  active  efforts 
•of  the  force  preventing  their  entire  destruction.  In  the  evening,  Ser- 
geant Williams  and  Roundsman  Webb,  with  four  men,  all  in  citizen's 
dress,  mingled  with  the  crowd  at  the  Tribune  Buildings,  and,  ascertaining 
its  purpose,  made  prompt  report  to  Captain  Bryan,  who,  with  what 
men  he  had,  was  soon  thereafter  engaged,  with  the  Twenty-sixth  Pre- 
cinct, in  the  defeat  of  the  mok  Subsequently  Captain  Bryan  acted  as 
guide  on  Inspector  Carpenter's  tour  through  the  Fourth  Ward,  and, 
with  some  of  his  precinct,  joined  in  the  attacks  upon  the  mob  in  Roose- 
velt and  in  Dover  Streets.  During  all  Monday  night,  and  until  Tuesday 
morning,  the  second  section  were  constantly  on  active  duty  in  the 
ward. 

On  the  evening  of  Monday,  an  attack  was  made  on  the  station-house. 
Sergeant  Rode  was  in  command,  with  only  eight  men  in  the  house  at  the 
time.  The  mob  numbered  some  five  or  six  hundred.  With  two  un- 
loaded muskets,  eight  men,  and  a  bold  front,  the  rioters  were  so  fright- 
ened that  they  fled  on  the  first  demonstration  of  the  command. 

In  Roosevelt  Street  Sergeant  Rode,  while  alone,  saw  a  mob  collected 
and  a  man  attempting  to  batter  in  the  door  of  a  Mrs.  Johnson's  house, 
who  owns  houses  in  the  Fourth  Ward,  and  rents  them  to  negroes.  He 
immediately  seized  the  man,  and  a  struggle  ensued ;  the  Sergeant,  how- 
ever, clung  to  him  until  the  fellow  received  aid  and  the  officer  was  over- 
powered by  superior  numbers.  He  was  compelled  to  let  him  go,  but  it 
was  not  before  all  the  clothing  had  been  torn  from  the  body  of  the  rioter. 
As  soon  as  the  man  was  rescued  the  mob  commenced  stoning  the  Ser- 
geant, and  a  brick  striking  him  on  the  chest,  disabled  him.  Fortunately, 
at  this  juncture,  Sergeant  Delany,  with  a  platoon  of  men,  arrived,  res- 
cued the  Sergeant,  and  put  the  rioters  to  flight. 

On  Tuesday,  the  balance  of  the  force  of  the  precinct  were  returned 
to  the  station.  They  had  been  doing  good  duty  ;  were  in  the  first  battle 
of  the  campaign,  under  Inspector  Carpenter,  at  Broadway  and  Amity  ; 
at  midnight,  Monday,  were  with  the  force  which  recovered  the  body  of 
the  negro  hung  in  Clarkson  Street ;  and  on  Tuesday,  with  Inspector 
Dilk's  command,  were  in  the  fierce  fight  at  Second  Avenue  and  Twenty- 
first  Street.  About  noon  Godfrey's  gun  store  was  attacked,  and  its 
pillage  prevented  by  Sergeant  Rode.  At  dusk  scouting  parties  were 
sent  out.  Patrolmen  Plott,  Kennedy,  and  Davis  were  among  the  mob 
gathering  at  Brooks  &  Brothers'  store  in  Catharine  Street,  were  recog- 
nized, attacked,  and  very  badly  beaten.  They  were  brought  to  the  station- 
house  by  a  party  of  citizens.  The  entire  force  repaired  to  the  store, 
made  battle  with,  and  dispersed,  the  mob.     Had  not  broken  ranks  on 


4:0  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

return  ere  word  came  of  the  sacking  of  a  boot  and  shoe  store  in  Catha- 
rine Street ;  repaired  on  the  double-quick,  had  a  sharp  fight,  and  cleared 
the  streets ;  counter-marched  down  Catharine  Street,  halting  400  feet 
from  Brooks  &  Brothers'  store,  where  the  mob  had  reassembled,  busy  in 
plundering.  Captain  Bryan  went  forward,  and  ascertaining  the  work 
going  on,  returned  to  his  command  and  ordered  a  charge,  which  was 
made  in  gallant  style.  Some  hundreds,  it  is  estimated,  of  the  rioters  and 
thieves,  were  badly  beaten  in  this  charge.  The  street  and  store  were 
cleared,  and  a  portion  of  the  force  remained  in  charge  of  the  building 
until  relieved  by  the  Seventh  Precinct.  Until  Wednesday  morning, 
scouting  parties  were  sent  in  all  parts  of  the  precinct.  Sergeant  Rode 
and  Officer  Irvin  came  upon  a  gang  attempting  to  break  into  Lord  & 
Taylor's  store,  from  Catharine  Street ;  they  fled,  but  received  a  discharge 
from  revolvers,  unfortunately  without  injury. 

At  the  riot  at  Brooks',  Sergeant  Delany  was  fired  at  by  a  man  who 
was  only  about  four  feet  from  him,  the  wadding  of  the  pistol  knocking 
the  Sergeant's  cap  off. 

There  were  no  further  disturbances  in  this  precinct,  and,  until  Fri- 
day, the  force  were  engaged  in  hunting  up  goods  stolen  from  Brooks 
Brothers'  recovering  some  $5,000  worth  stowed  away  in  different  houses 
in  the  ward. 

On  Saturday,  regular  patrol  duty  was  resumed.  All  of  Captain 
Bryan's  men  had  seen  constant  duty,  laboriously  and  most  faithfully 
performed.  They  responded  to  every  call  with  alacrity,  and  evinced 
unflinching  courage. 

Fifth  Precinct. 

At  noon  on  Monday,  a  portion  of  the  force  of  the  Fifth  Precinctr 
Captain  Petty,  No.  49  Leonard  Street,  reported  under  Roundsman 
Hessian  at  headquarters — the  rest  held  in  reserve  for  ward  duty.  In 
the  afternoon  Captain  Petty,  who  visited  Thomas  Street  alone  and  in 
citizen's  dress,  met  a  crowd  in  an  alleyway,  battering  in  the  doors  of 
houses  occupied  by  colored  people.  He  interposed,  and  was  at  once 
assailed  by  divers  missiles  ;  his  chances  of  being  stoned  to  death  were 
increasing  when  some  of  the  reserve  came  to  his  rescue,  and  drove  off 
the  rioters,  clearing  that  vicinity  of  them. 

In  the  evening,  the  balance  of  the  force  reported  at  headquarters, 
whence,  at  about  IIP.  M.,  under  Captain  Petty,  they  joined  Inspector 
Leonard's  command,  which  marched  to  the  City  Hall.  From  here  they 
were  engaged  in  the  various  expeditions  in  the  lower  sections  of  the  city 
until  Tuesday  A.  M.,  when  ordered  to  headquarters.  Captain  Petty 
with  200  men  (including  his  own  precinct  force)  was  soon  after  ordered 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  41 

to  the  protection  of  the  soap  factory  in  Sixteenth  Street,  between  Eighth 
and  Ninth  Avenues.  When  the  force  came  in  sight,  two  blocks  off,  the 
mob,  which  Captain  Petty  characterizes  as  the  most  pusillanimous  he 
ever  saw,  fled  in  all  directions;  chase  was  given  them,  but  in  vain.  Four 
employees  were  found  in  the  factory,  who  had  been  bravely  and  success- 
fully defending  it.  The  force  marched  through  Eighth  and  Ninth  Ave- 
nues and  the  intersecting  streets  as  far  as  Nineteenth  Street,  clearing  the 
entire  section  of  all  gatherings,  and  returning  to  headquarters,  having 
fully  accomplished  its  purpose.  '  In  the  afternoon,  Captain  Petty  and  his 
men  were  a  portion  of  Captain  Helm's  command  in  the  encounters  with 
the  mob  at  the  Second  Avenue  wire  factory,  where  some  thousands  of 
carbines  were  stored,  and  which  the  mob  were  pillaging.  A  severe 
battle  was  had  here  ;  and  a  charge  into  the  factory,  filled  with  rioters,  was 
ordered.  Captain  Petty,  with  ten  of  his  men,  made  their  way  to  the 
fifth  floor,  where  many  of  the  rioters  were  caught.  Some  went  down  the 
hatchway,  some  ran  the  gauntlet  of  the  police  on  the  stairs,  but  all  were 
more  or  less  punished.  At  one  time  eight  of  them  lay  blocking  up  a 
doorway.  After  securing  a  large  number  of  arms,  and  loading  them  into 
a  wagon,  the  entire  command  of  Captain  Helm  reformed  on  the  avenue, 
only  to  find  themselves  hemmed  in  on  all  sides  by  an  excited  and  threat- 
ening crowd,  overpowering  in  numbers.  They  were  relieved  from  their 
critical  position — one  from  which  they  could  not  have  escaped  without 
great  loss  of  life — by  the  opportune  arrival  of  Inspector  Dilks  and  his 
command,  with  whom,  the  Fifth  acting  as  escort  to  the  wagon  load  of 
carbines,  they  returned  to  headquarters. 

On  Wednesday  morning,  Captain  Petty,  in  command  of  a  company 
of  military  and  a  body  of  specials,  made  a  tour  through  the  infected 
districts  of  the  First  and  Second  Avenues,  but  found  all  quiet  save  the 
women,  who,  on  the  advent  of  the  force,  fearing  a  repetition  of  the 
exemplary  punishment  the  rioters  had  received  during  the  day,  made  the 
usually  quiet  hours  ring  with  their  shrieks  and  screams.  The  force  were 
on  this  tour  for  three  hours.  During  Wednesday  the  Fifth  were  on  duty 
at  headquarters,  and  in  the  evening  were  returned  to  their  own  precinct. 
From  here  twenty-five  were  sent  to  the  Eighth  Precinct,  under  command 
of  Sergeant  Brooks,  where  they  remained  till  Thursday  night.  The 
balance  kept  on  patrol  and  scouting  duty  until  Friday,  when  the  force 
resumed  regular  duty. 

Officer  Field,  on  Monday  and  Tuesday,  remained  in  the  precinct,  on 
detective  duty  ;  he  knew,  and  was  known  by,  all  the  riotous  parties,  and 
was  invaluable  in  prevention  of  outrages  in  Thomas,  Leonard,  and  York 
Streets. 

On  the  morning  of  the  outbreak,  the  telegraph  wires  connecting  with 
this  station  were  out  of  order,  and  about  the  first  intimation  Captain 


42  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

Petty  received  of  disturbances  was  from  a  terrified  colored  man,  who 
drove  up  to  the  station-house  at  a  racing  speed,  jumped  from  his  cart, 
and  gave  it  in  charge  of  the  police ;  he  said  he  was  afraid  to  remain  on 
it,  having  been  pursued  by  a  mob,  and  only  escaping  by  putting  his 
horse  to  its  speed.     He  was,  with  his  property,  afforded  protection. 

On  Tuesday,  attempts  were  made  to  organize  a  mob  in  the  precinct 
and  attack  the  station-house.  Sergeant  Higgins  and  Doorman  Pallister 
were  the  only  ones  there.  Some  400  colored  persons  had  taken  refuge 
in  the  station ;  these  were  given  weapons,  and  promised  to  fight  to  the 
last.  The  doors  were  barricaded,  and  the  two  officers  made  all  prepara- 
tions to  give  their  assailants  a  warm  reception.  About  10  P.  M.  the 
mob  assembled  in  front,  fired  at  the  building,  and  were  about  to  fire  it, 
when  Inspector  Carpenter,  with  his  command,  made  their  appearance, 
came  on  to  the  mob  with  a  rush,  and  drove  them  in  all  directions.  Some 
time  after  the  Inspector  left  another  demonstration  was  made,  but  a 
company  of  military,  quartered  in  Worth  Street,  hurried  to  the  rescue 
and  the  mob  again  fled. 

For  three  days  and  nights  none  of  the  Fifth  Precinct  had  any  rest; 
their  duties  were  numerous  and  fatiguing,  but  were  performed  cheerfully 
and  creditably. 

Sixth  Precinct. 

This  precinct,  Capt.  John  Jourdan,  No.  9  Franklin  Street,  had  no 
little  work  to  do.  At  3  P.  M.  on  Monday  an  attack  was  made  by  a 
large  mob  on  premises  of  colored  people  at  No.  42  Baxter  Street.  Capt. 
Jourdan,  with  Sergeants  Walsh  and  McGiven  and  the  second  platoon, 
were  soon  at  the  spot,  and  after  a  severe  fight,  in  which  the  force  was 
boldly  opposed,  the  rioters  were  dispersed,  many  of  them  badly  injured. 
Of  the  force,  Roundsman  Ryan  was  the  only  one  hurt ;  he  was  knocked 
down  and  his  club  wrenched  from  him,  but  was  at  once  on  his  feet  again 
and  in  the  thickest  of  the  fray.  Soon  after,  the  Captain,  with  same  offi- 
cers and  platoon,  repaired  to  Crook's,  No.  74  Chatham  Street,  which  was 
being  assailed  by  a  mob.  A  charge  was  made  unexpectedly  upon  the 
rascals,  the  locust  liberally  used,  and  a  general  scattering  ensued.  At  5J 
P.  M.  some  three  hundred  men,  women,  and  boys  attacked  the  dwellings 
of  colored  people  in  Pell,  near  Mott,  Street ;  with  the  same  officers  and 
force,  the  Captain  repaired  thither,  charged  upon  and  routed  the  assail- 
ants. In  this  cowardly  attack  by  the  rioters,  Elizabeth  Hennesy,  a  col- 
ored woman,  57  years  of  age,  was  struck  and  severely  injured  by  a  brick ; 
she  was  rescued  by  the  police,  and  conveyed  to  the  City  Hospital.  At 
6  P.  M.  upwards  of  six  hundred  rioters  attacked  a  house  at  Leonard 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  43 

and  Baxter  Streets,  occupied  by  some  twenty  colored  families,  stoning 
in  the  windows,  attempting  to  break  in  and  fire  it.  Capt.  Jourdan,  with 
SergeantsWALSH,  Quinn,  and  Kennedy,  and  first  and  second  platoons,  was 
speedily  on  hand ;  a  severe  fight  ensued ;  the  rioters  were  effectively 
handled,  and  dozens  lay  senseless  on  the  street ;  ultimately  they  fled. 

About  this  time  the  whole  force  were  ordered  to  report  at  headquar- 
ters, and  while  on  their  way  were  met  at  Mott  and  Grand  Streets  by  a 
large  mob,  who  greeted  them  wit,h  howling  and  hooting.  They  marched 
steadily  on,  not  noticing  the  noisy  demonstration ;  but  when  the  crowd 
assailed  them  with  stones  and  other  missiles,  at  Broome  and  Mott 
Streets,  they  were  wheeled  and  ordered  to  a  charge,  which  was  made  in 
gallant  style  and  carried  with  it  severe  punishment  to  the  rioters,  who 
were  soon  defeated  and — save  those  who  were  laying  in  the  street — 
flying.  Roundsman  Hopkins  was  struck,  in  this  fight,  with  a  stone,  on 
the  head,  which  did  him  some  damage.  At  6J  P.  M.  the  force  was  at 
headquarters,  and  soon  after  were  sent  with  Inspector  Carpenter's 
command  to  the  Park,  where  they  participated  actively — having  the 
right  of  the  line — in  punishment  meted  out  to  the  rioters  fleeing  from 
Printing-house  Square.  After  having  a  settlement  with  the  mob  here, 
Capt.  Jourdan  was  sent  with  his  force  to  protect  his  own  ward ; 
came  upon  a  mob  of  six  hundred,  attacking  Nos.  104  and  105  Park 
Street,  occupied  by  colored  people  ;  made  a  charge  ;  had  to  fight  hand- 
to-hand,  using  locusts  effectively ;  beat  and  scattered  the  rioters.  This 
done,  Capt.  Jourdan  repaired  to  the  station-house,  and  soon  after  was 
ordered  to  the  Fourth  Precinct,  in  conjunction  with  Capt.  Bryan  and  his 
men,  to  take  charge  of  the  Fourth  and  Sixth  Precincts  ;  heard  of  a  riot 
in  Baxter  Street,  in  a  locality  known  as  Cow  Bay;  hurried  there,  and 
dispersed  a  mob  which  was  attacking  dwellings  ;  returned  to  the  Fourth 
Precinct,  and  during  the  balance  of  the  night  were  in  reserve. 

Tuesday  morning  a  mob  in  Leonard  Street  was  assaulting  and  beat- 
ing colored  people.  Capt.  Jourdan,  with  a  force,  repaired  there,  defeated 
and  dispersed  the  mob,  rescued  six  negroes  and  brought  them  in  safety 
to  the  station.  At  3  P.M.  hundreds  of  the  lawless  attacked  the  ne- 
gro dwellings  in  Catharine  Lane,  near  Elm.  The  Sixth  Precinct  were 
promptly  to  the  scene,  and  prevented  injury  to  person  or  property. 

From  this  time  until  Wednesday  morning  quiet  prevailed,  until  11 
o'clock,  when  Capt.  Jourdan,  Sergts.  Quinn  and  Kennedy,  were  engaged 
in  quelling  a  mob  in  Centre,  near  Worth  Street,  who  were  assailing  every 
colored  person  they  met.  After  this,  Sergt.  Walsh,  with  half  the  force, 
returned  to  its  own  precinct. 

Early  in  the  evening  some  four  hundred  rioters  attempted  to  sack 
and    demolish  a  building  at  the   corner  of  Mott  and  Centre  Streets; 


4A  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

Sergt.  Quinn,  with  one  platoon,  hastened  to  and  attacked  the  mob. 
They  made  a  bold  resistance,  and  the  fight  was  severe  before  they 
were  routed.  Here  Patrolman  Charles  McDonnell  was  injured  ;  he 
was  struck  in  the  face  and  terribly  cut,  knocked  down,  regained  his  feet, 
and,  despite  his  condition,  rejoined  his  comrades,  and  did  execution 
enough  to  more  than  compensate  for  his  injuries  ;  he  did  his  part 
bravely  and  nobly.  During  the  night  (Wednesday)  there  were  many 
demonstrations  against  the  dwellings  Nos.  38  and  40  Baxter  Street, 
occupied  by  colored  people  ;  all  of  them,  however,  were  promptly  met 
and  defeated  by  the  Sixth  Precinct,  sometimes  with  and  sometimes  with- 
out a  battle. 

On  -Monday  the  force  of  this  precinct  was  at  times  divided  ;  the  re- 
serve under  Sergeant  Walsh  was  ordered  at  noon  to  the  aid  of  Capt. 
Cameron,  Eighteenth  Precinct ;  they  remained  there  in  defence  of  the 
station-house  until  the  mob  became  overwhelming,  and  were  the  last  of 
the  police  who  left  the  building ;  io  was  subsequently  burned.  On  Tues- 
day morning  Sergeant  Walsh,  with  one  platoon,  was  part  of  Inspector 
Carpenter's  command  in  the  perilous  visit  to  the  Second  Avenue,  where 
such  severe  fighting  was  had.  In  the  afternoon,  with  his  men,  he  was 
sent  to  City  Hall,  under  Inspector  Leonard,  where  they  remained  until 
Wednesday  P.  M.,  thence  to  their  own  station. 

The  duties  of  the  officers  and  men  of  this  precinct,  as  has  been  seen, 
were  incessant  and  arduous ;  theirs  seemed  to  be  an  almost  continuous 
series  of  fights  or  skirmishes.  Not  one  halted  or  hesitated ;  all  were 
brave,  all  true.  Especial  praise  is  awarded  to  Roundsmen  Hopkins  and 
Ryan,  and  to  Patrolman  Charles  McDonnell,  each  of  whom  on  all  oc- 
casions evinced  the  greatest  courage ;  the  two  latter  were  very  roughly 
handled  by  the  mobs,  but  never  faltered. 

On  Wednesday  evening  some  four  hundred  merchants,  clerks,  and 
others  doing  business  in  Capt.  Jourdan's  precinct,  tendered  their  ser- 
vices to  him  as  special  patrolmen ;  they  were  accepted,  sent  on  duty, 
and  he  awards  them  high  praise  for  the  efficiency  and  value  of  their  ser- 
vices. 

Seventh  Precinct. 

The  force  of  this  precinct,  Captain  Tiieron  R.  Bennett,  No.  247 
Madison  Street,  reported  at  headquarters  Monday  afternoon,  with  Ser- 
geants McConnell,  Garland,  and  Clark — Sergeant  Loudon  being  left  in 
charge  of  station.  The  force,  with  Sergeants  McConnell  and  Garland, 
composed  a  portion  of  Inspector  Carpenter's  command  in  the  attack 
upon  and  severe  usage  of  the  rioters  at  Broadway  and  Amity  Street, 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  45 

being  active  and  prominent  therein.  At  night  the  force  reported  to 
Inspector  Leonard,  at  the  City  Hall,  and  was  engaged  in  the  many  du- 
ties which  were  necessary  for  the  protection  of  the  portion  of  the  city 
thereabouts.  On  Tuesday  morning  they  were  ordered  to  headquarters, 
and  subsequently,  with  Inspector  Dilks'  command,  visited  Second  Ave- 
nue where  the  sharp  fighting  was  done,  and  in  which  the  Seventh  were 
actively  engaged.  Later  in  the  day,  under  Inspector  Leonard,  a  mob  at 
Broadway  and  Bond  Street  were  attacked  and  dispersed,  the  Seventh 
participating.  On  return  to  headquarters,  Sergeant  McConnell  relieved 
Sergeant  Loudon  at  station,  who  reported  for  duty  at  central  office.  Cap- 
tain Bennett,  with  his  command,  was  detailed,  with  a  company  of  mili- 
tary, to  visit  Thirty-fourth  Street,  where  Colonel  O'Brien  was  so  horri- 
bly murdered,  to  recover  the  body.  On  reaching  the  ground,  it  was 
ascertained  that  the  body  had  been  rescued  from  the  rioters,  and  taken 
to  Bellevue.  On  the  same  evening  the  force  was  ordered  to  the  care  of 
its  own  precinct,  where  patrol  duty  was  resumed  Friday. 

On  Monday  evening  Sergeant  Garland  was  detached  from  his  com- 
mand and  sent  to  the  Tenth  Precinct  Station  to  work  the  telegraph ; 
about  9  P.  M.  the  building  was  assailed  by  a  mob,  who  stoned  in  the 
windows ;  they  were  fresh  from  the  sacking  and  destruction  of  Provost 
Marshal  Dqffy's  house.     There  were  but  few  men  in  the   station,  but 
Surgeon  Wells,  and  a  number  of  citizens,  came  to  the  rescue,  the  former 
acting  with  great  coolness  and  courage.     Officer  McCloud  found  a  small 
cannon  in  the  building,  which  was  hastily  hauled  into  position  at  the 
door,  pointed  on  to  the  mob,  who,  at  sight  of  it,  broke  and  scattered.    On 
Tuesday  morning  Sergeant  Garland  was  relieved  as  telegraph  operator, 
and  reported  to  Inspector  Dilks  at  headquarters,  by  whom  he  was  de- 
tailed as  acting  adjutant  of  the  battalion  of  police  which  the  Inspector  led 
to  the  Second  Avenue,  as  already  referred  to.     He  was  also  in  the  sec- 
ond expedition  to  the  same  section,  under  Mr.  Dilks,  and  narrowly  es- 
caped the  ball  which  came  so  near  cutting  off  a  good  man  and  true  in 
the  Inspector,  but  cut  off  a  tree  branch  at  its  bend  against  him  instead. 
The  Sergeant  was  receiving  orders  from  Mr.  D.  at  the  time.     In  one  of 
the  battles  with  the  mob  at  the  Eighteenth  Precinct,  Sergeant  McConnell 
and  his  command  were  engaged ;   they  had  to  enter  and  clear  adjacent 
houses   of  parties  who  were  firing  from  the  roofs  and  windows.     The 
work  was  well  and  promptly  done,  but  the  street  fighting  was  severe,  and 
the  rioters  not  dispersed  until  the  military,  called  to  the  aid  of  the  police, 
had  fired  several  volleys. 

The  officers  and  men  of  this  precinct  saw  considerable  service  during 
the  week,  and  sustained  the  good  repute  hitherto  attached  to  them. 


46  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 


Eighth  Precinct. 

This  precinct,  Captain  M.  De  Camp,  No.  127  Wooster  Street,  was 
early  on  active  duty.     At  9  A.  M.  Sergeant  Wade  and  ten  men  reported 
to  Captain  Speight,  No  1190  Broadway,  Provost  Marshal  Manierre's 
office,  which  they  assisted  in  defending.     At  noon,  Sergeant  Ellison, 
with  thirteen  men,  was  sent  to  protect  the  Provost  Marshal's  office  at 
Third  Avenue  and  Forty-sixth  Street ;  on  arrival  at  Third  Avenue  and 
Forty-fourth  Street  he  met  the  provost  guard,  which  had  been  driven 
from   the  Marshal's  office,  and  were  fleeing  down,  pursued  by  the  mob. 
Checking  and   reinforcing  them,  he  ordered  a  wheel,  a  volley,  and  a 
bayonet  charge  upon  the  mob ;  the  guard  halted,  made  a  move  as  though 
about  to  obey,  but  finally  refused,  and,  on  one  of  them  being  knocked 
down  with  a  stone,  they  broke  and  fled.     Thus  left  alone  to  meet  the 
mob,  Sergeant  Ellison  and  his  men,  thoughtless  of  the  vast  dispropor- 
tion in  numbers,  made  a  desperate  charge,  and  a  desperate  hand-to-hand 
fight  ensued  ;  the  mob  stood  their  ground,  fighting  fiercely,  and  finally 
the  force — Sergeant  Ellison  badly  beaten  and  in  the  hands  of  the  rioters 
— was  compelled  to  fall  back  in  retreat.      At  this  juncture,  Sergeant 
Wade  and  his  men,  relieved  from  duty  at  No.  1190  Broadway,  came  on 
to  the  ground,  hurrying  to  the  relief  of  their  companions,  by  whom  they 
were  greeted  with  ringing  cheers.     The  mob  were  threatening  to  hang 
Ellison,   and  great  as  was  the  superiority  in  numbers,  the  united  force 
at  once  charged  to  the  rescue  ;  so   impetuous,  earnest,  and  determined 
was  the  charge  made,  so  terribly  did  the  locusts  do  their  work,  that  the 
mob  were  forced  back  some  three  blocks,  fighting  all  the  way,  and  the 
Sergeant  rescued.     But  the  odds  were  too  great  for  permanent  success  ; 
the  excited  thousands  closed  in  upon  the  small  force  from  the  streets  in 
their  rear,  pressed  back  upon  them  from  the  front,  and  they  were  soon 
hemmed  in ;   they  had  to  fight  their  way  through  and  out,  contested  at 
every  inch  of  ground,  but  succeeded,  though  at  a  great  cost,  in  extri- 
cating themselves  from  their  critical  position.     In  the  first  of  these  bat- 
tles Sergeant  Ellison  was  badly  beaten,  taken  prisoner,  and  rescued ; 
Officer  Van  Buren  had  his  leg  broken,  and   Officers  Crolius,  Palmer, 
and  McCaul  were  each  severely  beaten.    In  the  second,  Sergeant  Wade 
was  hit  in  the  breast  with  a  stone,  and  the  following  officers  were  in- 
jured:  Andre,  his  head  badly  cut;  Law,   injured  in   head  and  body ; 
Hart,  head  and  body ;  Burns,  Merhek,  and  Magersuppe,  each  severely 
beaten,  and  heads  badly  cut.     Those  who  were  too  badly  injured  to  es- 
cape sought  refuge   in  the  houses  of  citizens  in  the  vicinity  until  they 
could  be  removed,  and  the  balance  of  the  force  so  roughly  used,  and  now 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  47 

scattered,  repaired  to  their  station-house,  leaving  the  mob  exultant  over 
the  defeat  of  the  handful. 

Sergeant  Ellison  had  a  sufficiently  serious  time.  When  about  to 
fire  the  gun  which  he  had  wrenched  from  a  rioter,  it  was  knocked  from 
his  grasp  by  a  brick,  going  off  as  it  fell  and  shooting  a  horse  in  the  leg  ; 
he  defended  himself  with  a  revolver,  and,  his  command  being  beaten,  he 
retreated,  running  into  a  hallway.  The  mob  followed,  pulled  him  out, 
walked  him  up  and  down  for  awhile,  yelling  and  hooting  over  his  cap- 
ture, beating  him  with  clubs,  and  pelting  him  with  stones.  Falling  from 
exhaustion,  they  still  continued  to  beat  him.  Those  who  could  not  get 
at  him  dropped  large  stones  over  the  other's  shoulders.  At  last  they 
left  him,  thinking  him  dead,  in  which  condition  he  lay  for  twenty  or  thirty 
minutes.  Two  men  carried  him  off  towards  the  Twenty  first  Precinct  Sta- 
tion. On  the  way  down  the  mob  followed,  threatening  to  attack  again, 
but  were  driven  back  by  the  forces  arriving  under  Sergeant  Wade,  as 
before  chronicled. 

Sergeants  Wade  and  O'Connor,  with  their  commands,  were  at  the 
dispersion  of  the  mob,  in  the  afternoon,  on  Broadway  and  Amity  Street, 
and  on  duty  at  the  City  Hall  all  night.  The  precinct  was  joined  to  Cap- 
tain Walling's  command  on  Tuesday  morning,  and  aided  in  suppressing 
the  riot  at  Broome  and  Pitt  Streets;  subsequently,  with  Captain  Wil- 
son's command,  patrol  duty  was  done  by  them  in  infested  portions  of 
First  and  Second  Avenues.  In  the  afternoon  they  were  part  of  Inspector 
Leonard's  command  at  the  City  Hall,  and  were  engaged  in  punishing 
the  mob  which  assailed  the  military  at  Broadway  and  Chambers  Street. 
During  the  night  they  were  among  those  dispersing  the  rioters  threaten- 
ing the  Western  Hotel,  in  Cortlandt  Street;  Wednesday,  at  the  City 
Hall  until  the  afternoon,  when  the  force  reported  to  Captain  Warl«»w, 
First  Precinct;  sent  to  Pier  4,  North  River,  to  quell  disturbances  there,, 
and  at  night  on  duty  in  Broad  and  Stone  Streets,  where  parties  of  thieves 
were  attempting  to  break  into  stores.  On  Thursday  dispersed  mob  at 
South  and  Wall  Streets,  threatening  to  break  into  a  store  and  seize  a 
negro  employed  there.  The  force  remained  at  the  First  Precinct  until 
Saturday  A.  M.,  when  ordered  to  its  own  precinct  on  usual  duty. 

In  this  precinct  a  few  officers  in  citizens'  dress  were  constantly  patroll- 
ing the  ward,  and  mixing  with  the  rioters  in  the  colored  district  of 
Thompson  and  Sullivan,  and  marking  the  ringleaders.  The  block 
bounded  by  Sullivan,  Grand,  Thompson,  and  Broome  is  almost  entirely 
occupied  by  negroes.  The  colored  men  were  armed  and  prepared  for  a 
vigorous  defence.  They  carried  cart  loads  of  stones  to  the  houses,  tore 
down  their  chimneys,  and  were  well  provided  with  missiles. 

During  the  week  Sergeant  Miller  was  constantly  in  charge  of  the 


48  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

station-house.  He  had  special  scouts  out,  and  was  thus  informed  of  an 
intended  destruction  of  the  "  Arch,"  in  Sullivan  Street.  A  prompt  tele- 
graph by  him  of  the  fact  to  headquarters  brought  a  force  down  in  time 
to  prevent  it.  He  also  received  and  took  charge,  during  the  first  four 
days,  of  268  refugees.     During  the  week  751  were  fed  and  cared  for. 

The  record  of  the  doings  of  this  precinct  is  one  full  of  honor,  and 
the  numbers  injured  and  disabled  in  the  first  two  encounters  show 
how  persistently  and  bravely  they  acted  in  order  to  accomplish  a  duty, 
even  though  it  were  an  impossibility.  The  highest  praise  is  awarded  by 
Captain  De  Camp  to  Sergeant  Ellison,  who  exhibited  "  dauntless  cour- 
age," and  to  Sergeants  Wade  and  O'Connor,  as  it  is  to  all  his  men>  of 
whom  he  speaks  with  a  just  and  earnest  pride. 


Ninth  Precinct. 

Jacob  L.  Seeking,  Captain,  No.  94  Charles  Street.  On  Monday,  at 
10  A.  M., Sergeant  Margin,  with  ten  men,  reported  to  Captain  Speight, 
No.  1190  Broadway,,  and  were  parties  to  the  defence  of  the  Provost 
Marshal's  office  there.  At  11  A.  M.  Sergeant  Smiih,  with  a  platoon, 
was  also  ordered  to  report  to  Captain  Pouter.  Both  of  these  officers 
and  their  commands  were  subsequently  ordered  to  Forty-sixth  Street, 
where  Sergeant  Ellison  and  force  were  so  badly  handled,  a  detailed 
account  of  which  is  given  in  the  record  of  the  Eighth  Precinct.  They 
arrived  at  the  scene  same  time  as  Sergeant  Wade,  and  went  gallantly 
into  the  fight  against  overwhelming  odds ;  the  list  of  casualties — Ser- 
geants Mangin  and  Smith  and  ten  of  the  force  being  badly  injured — 
shows  how  well  and  bravely  they  performed  their  part  on  this  disastrous 
occasion.  After  the  retreat  they  returned  to  their  own  precinct,  escaping 
thither  as  best  they  could,  and  instantly  reformed  for  further  duty.  At 
5.30  P.  M.  the  entire  force,  under  Captain  Sebring,  reported  at  head- 
quarters. They  were  with  Inspector  Carpenter  in  the  evening,  at  the 
exemplary  punishment  of  the  mob  in  the  City  Hall  Park  and  Printing- 
house  Square,  and  thence  with  him  in  the  useful  tour  through  the  Fourth 
and  adjacent  wards. 

At  1  o'clock  A.  M.,  on  Tuesday,  with  the  command  under  Sergeant 
Copeland,  they  went  to  Clarkson  Street,  to  recover  the  body  of  the 
colored  man  hung,  and  which  was  cut  down  and  taken  to  headquarters. 
At  noon  Captain  Sebring,  with  his  command,  dispersed  a  gang  at  Spring 
and  Murray  Streets,  who  had  sacked  a  liquor  store  and  nearly  murdered 
its  proprietor.  In  the  afternoon  they  were  with  Captain  Dilks,  in  the 
visit  to  the   factory  in  Second  Avenue,   and  participated  gallantly  in 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  49 

the  battle  there.  In  the  evening  they  took  a  tour  through  the  Fourth 
and  wards  adjoining. 

Wednesday  morning  the  Captain  and  command,  with  Sergeant  Cope- 
land's  force,  visited  the  infected  portions  of  the  Second  and  Third  Ave- 
nues, dispersing  all  crowds.  In  the  evening  a  section  assisted  the  de- 
tectives in  arresting  gangs  of  thieves  in  Crosby  and  Houston  Streets. 
At  night  the  entire  command  were  ordered  to  the  Eighth  Precinct  to 
protect  the  "  Arch,"  in  Sullivan  Street,  populated  by  colored  people. 
They  charged  the  mob,  beat  and  dispersed  them,  and  prevented  great 
destruction  of  lives  and  of  property. 

On  Thursday  morning  the  force  was  on  miscellaneous  duty,  aiding 
as  escorts  to  the  military,  guarding  the  prisoners  at  headquarters,  &c. 
On  Friday,  same  duties,  which  continued  until  noon  Saturday,  when 
ordered  to  their  own  precinct,  and  ordinary  routine. 

Sergeant  Smith  was  so  badly  injured  at  Forty-sixth  Street  as  to  be 
confined  to  his  bed.  Sergeant  Siebert  had  throughout  remained  in 
charge  of  the  station-house,  and  proved  equal  to  any  emergency.  Col. 
Ladue,  resident  of  the  precinct,  had  formed  a  citizens'  corps  of  "  specials," 
and  did  patrol  duty  as  well  as  acting  for  the  protection  of  the  station ; 
and  to  him  and  the  firemen  of  the  precinct,  who  were  of  great  service  to 
Captain  Sebring,  much  credit  is  due. 

During  the  entire  week  there  was  not  a  word  of  complaint  from 
either  officers  or  men.  Constant  as  was  the  duty,  all  orders  were  re- 
sponded to  with  alacrity,  and  each  one  performed  thoroughly. 

Tenth  Precinct. 

Captain  T.  C.  Davis,  Essex  Market.  At  noon  the  reserve  of  this 
precinct  was  sent  to  Forty-sixth  Street  and  Third  Avenue,  under  Ser- 
geants Minor  and  Davenport,  and  participated  in  the  savage  fight,  here- 
tofore described,  which  occurred  there.  At  5  P.  M.  Captain  Davis  re- 
ported, with  his  entire  force,  at  headquarters  ;  and  in  the  evening,  under 
Inspector  Carpenter,  this  force  effectively  used  their  locusts  upon  the 
mob  which  had  attempted  to  burn  the  Tribune  Buildings ;  thence  in  the 
risky  march  through  the  Fourth  and  other  wards,  and  thence  to  head- 
quarters for  the  night.  On  Tuesday  morning  Captain  Davis  and  his 
force,  with  the  force  under  Inspector  Carpenter,  went  on  the  hazardous 
march  to  Second  Avenue,  and  were  prominent  in  the  assault  of  the 
houses  from  which  the  police  were  fired  at.  In  this,  four  of  the  men  of 
the  precinct  were  badly  injured,  but  all  evinced  a  courage  and  determin- 
ation which  no  danger  baffled  or  checked.  Subsequently  at  headquarters, 
from  whence  they  were  ordered  to  the  Fifth  Regiment  Armory,  to  pro- 
4 


50  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

cure  the  arms  there  and  bring  them  to  the  Central  Office  for  distribution ; 
the  men  were  desirous  for  more  active  duty  and  anxious  to  "  flesh  "  their 
locusts  again,  but  performed  the  duty  promptly  and  well.  At  night 
Captain  Davis  and  command  were  with  Inspector  Leonard  at  the  City 
Hall,  where,  on  duty  in  various  sections  thereabouts  of  the  city,  they 
remained  until  Wednesday  morning ;  then  sent  to  Twenty-seventh  Pre- 
cinct station-house,  sweeping  away  a  threatening  crowd  in  front  of  it ; 
thence  to  the  bonded  warehouse  in  West  Street,  and  thence  to  Twenty- 
seventh  Precinct  station  again,  where  they  remained  on  guard  till  late 
in  the  evening,  when  ordered  to  headquarters,  and  from  thence  to  their 
own  precinct. 

On  Tuesday  officer  James  Adams  was  accidentally  shot  in  front  of 
headquarters.  He  was  conveyed  home  by  a  brother  officer.  This  force 
did  well  and  faithfully ;  and  Captain  Davis,  his  officers  and  men,  won  the 
honor  that  an  entire  and  fearless  discharge  of  duty  entitled  them  to.  Ser- 
geant Wemyss  and  Roundsman  Hart  were  especially  active  and  valuable 
in  all  duties. 

On  the  evening  of  Monday  the  station-house  was  attacked  by  a  mob, 
who  were  driven  off  by  officers  Wood  and  McCloud,  and  officer  King 
of  the  Third  District  Court,  sundry  citizens  aiding,  as  did  Surgeon 
Wells  and  Sergeant  Garland  of  the  Seventh  Precinct.  Officer 
McCloud  found  a  cannon  in  the  building,  and  it  was  placed  at  the  door, 
pointing  on  the  mob ;  empty  as  it  was,  it  had  the  desired  effect — the 
rascals  scattering. 

On  Monday  an  attack  was  made  on  the  house  No.  134  Division 
Street,  and  the  furniture  destroyed.  Officer  Wood,  of  this  precinct,  and 
officer  King,  of  the  Third  District  Court,  with  a  number  of  citizens, 
made  a  charge  on  and  dispersed  the  rioters. 

At  the  attack  on  the  lawless  in  Second  Avenue,  officer  Rothschild 
was  struck  and  badly  hurt  on  the  head,  and  officer  Sandford  also  in- 
jured. 

Eleventh  Precinct. 

John  J.  Mount,  Captain,  Union  Market.  At  six  P.  M.  Monday, 
Captain  Mount,  with  his  whole  force,  reported  at  headquarters.  At 
evening  this  command  formed  part  of  the  force  under  Inspector  Car- 
penter, in  the  Park  and  Printing-house  Square  attack  on  the  mob.  The 
Tenth,  being  in  the  rear,  had  the  last  punishment  of  the  flying,  and  put 
some  fifty  hors  du  combat ;  also,  with  the  Inspector  through  the  Fourth 
and  other  wards  on  same  evening.  On  this  tour  Captain  Mount  and 
men  were  detached  to  protect  the  persons  and  property  of  colored  people 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  51 

near  New  Bowery  and  Roosevelt  Street,  the  balance  of  the  force  con- 
tinuing on  their  march.  The  Eleventh  did  a  hard  duty  well,  kept  the 
mob  in  check,  and  ultimately  drove  them  off.  Were  rejoined  by  the 
force,  and  detailed  to  the  Fourth  Precinct  for  the  night.  At  10|  P.  M. 
repaired  to  Roosevelt  and  Batavia  Streets,  charged  upon  and  had  a  sharp 
fight  with  a  mob  of  rioters  and  thieves,  who  were  sacking  houses,  and 
put  them,  with  not  a  few  badly  injured,  to  flight.  The  force  were  here 
assailed  from  the  roofs,  and  officer  McMahon  was  very  badly  injured 
by  a  brick.  A  large  bonfire  had  been  made  by  the  mob,  of  the  articles 
taken  from  the  houses  which  were  too  cumbrous  to  steal — for  the  first, 
last,  and  only  purpose  of  the  riots  by  every  man  and  woman  engaged  in 
them  was  theft,  from  a  penny  dip  up  to  all  things  portable — and  threat- 
ened to  fire  the  adjacent  buildings.  Captain  Mount  secured  a  length  of 
hose,  and,  attaching  it  to  a  hydrant,  put  the  flames  out — all  the  time  his 
force  being  the  recipients  of  volleys  of  bricks  and  stones.  This  done, 
another  fight  was  had  with  the  rioters,  who,  for  a  while,  boldly  stood 
their  ground,  but  gave  way  finally,  severely  punished. 

Tuesday  morning  the  force  were  at  headquarters,  and,  with  Inspector 
Carpenter's  command,  went  to  the  Second  Avenue.  On  the  terrible 
assault  the  force  received  from  the  windows  and  roofs  of  the  houses  in 
the  vicinity  of  Thirty-fourth  Street,  Captain  Mount,  by  order  of  the  In- 
spector, led  the  storming  party ;  and  gallantly  did  he  do  so,  as  the  details 
of  this  affair,  already  given,  show.  One  huge  rioter  was,  on  this  occasion, 
knocked  clear  off  his  feet  and  off  the  roof  of  a  four-story  tenement  house, 
by  a  single  well-directed  and  well-dealt  blow  of  a  club.  He  was 
crushed  to  death  by  the  fall.  Subsequently  the  force  reported  to  In- 
spector Leonard,  at  City  Hall,  and  were  engaged  several  times  during 
the  afternoon  in  dispersing  the  crowds  in  the  Park  and  Printing-house 
Square.  At  midnight  were  at  Western  Hotel,  Courtlandt  Street,  and  on 
guard  there  till  3£  P.  M. ;  back  to  City  Hall ;  there  till  11  A.  M.  Wed- 
nesday ;  and  thence  to  headquarters,  where  orders  to  return  to  own  pre- 
cinct were  received.  Here,  with  special  force,  patrol  duty  was  per- 
formed until  6  A.  M.,  when  ordinary  duty  was  resumed. 

All  officers  and  men  of  this  precinct  did  their  entire  duty  ;  there  was 
not  an  exception  ;  and  while  each  is  entitled  to  the  credit  therefor,  yet 
especial  mention  should  be  made  of  Sergeants  Polly,  Ahearn,  and 
Reed  ;  Roundsmen  Warmsley  and  Donohue  ;  Patrolmen  Warren, 
Beatty,  Gass,  Bogart,  McMahon,  and  McCarty,  for  unflinching  courage 
and  devotion  to  duty.  During  the  riots  Sergeant  Upham  was  left  in 
charge  of  the  station-house  and  precinct,  discharging  his  responsible  du- 
ties there  in  a  manner  which  restored  confidence  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  was  most  creditable  to  himself. 


52  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

Sergeant  Polly  was  the  officer  who,  with  Inspector  Leonard,  boldly 
entered  into  the  midst  of  the  mob  assailing  the  military  at  Broadway 
and  Chambers  Street.  They  arrested  the  ringleader  in  order  to  divert 
attention  from  the  military  and  draw  it  on  themselves.  The  ruse  suc- 
ceeded and  they  were  instantly  assailed.  They  hung  on  to  the  prisoner, 
arrested  another  leader,  and  backed  their  way  toward  the  City  Hall, 
fighting  at  every  step,  and  keeping  the  mob  from  them  with  their  clubs. 
Inspector  Leonard  is  warm  in  his  praise  of  the  Sergeant's  coolness  and 
unflinching  courage  on  this  occasion — against  the  hundreds — and,  in- 
deed, no  braver  man  is  on  the  force.  Both  prisoners  were  held  by 
these  bold  men,  and  the  howling  mob  kept  at  bay  until,  as  has  hereto- 
fore been  stated,  relief  from  the  City  Hall  arrived,  when  their  assailants 
were  attacked  and  beaten,  and  their  prisoners  cast  off. 

In  connection  with  the  Eleventh  Precinct,  it  may  be  said  that  the 
German  residents  of  that  ward  cannot  have  too  much  praise  awarded 
them.  They  rallied  to  the  aid  of  the  authorities,  and  were  prepared  to 
assist  them  zealously,  efficiently,  and  willingly  whenever  their  services 
might  be  required.  Another  valuable  force  was  also  in  readiness ;  at 
the  Neptune  Iron  Works,  Messrs.  Boardman  &  Watts  had  organized 
three  hundred  good  men  and  true  for  the  protection  of  the  ward. 
Two  hundred  were  armed  with  sabres,  one  hundred  with  muskets,  and 
all  ready  at  a  moment's  notice  to  respond  to  any  call.  Woe  would  have 
fallen  upon  the  rioters  had  they  ever  met  them. 

Twelfth  Precinct. 

Capt.  A.  S.  Relay,  Harlem,  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-sixth  Street, 
near  Third  Avenue.  Early  orders  were  received  at  this  precinct,  on 
Monday  morning,  to  call  in  reserve  and  hold  the  force  in  readiness,  but 
owing  to  the  subsequent  destruction  of  the  telegraph,  it  was  not  until 
5.30  P.  M.  that,  by  a  special  messenger,  directions  were  received  upon 
which  Sergts.  Osborn  and  Walters  left  for  headquarters  with  thirty- 
five  men.  They  took  the  Third  Avenue  cars  as  far  as  Seventy-first 
Street,  where,  the  operations  of  the  road  being  stopped  below,  the  com- 
pany had  concluded  to  haul  off.  The  force  thence  took  up  the  long 
march  to  headquarters,  reaching  there  at  8  P.  M.  In  the  night  they 
were  with  Inspector  Leonard's  command  at  City  Hall,  and  engaged  on 
the  various  and  constant  duties  required  in  that  vicinity ;  portions  of 
the  time  being  the  only  force  in  Printing-house  Square,  and  effectually 
keeping  it  clear  of  the  ill-disposed.  On  Tuesday  morning  reported  at 
headquarters,  and,  attached  to  Capt.  Walling's  command,  made  the  tour 
through  the  Bowery  and  adjacent  streets ;  in  the  afternoon  another  tour 


DUKLNG  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  53 

to  the  Bowery  and  vicinity,  under  Inspector  Carpenter.  On  the  return, 
one  Patrick  Carle  stood  on  the  sidewalk  brandishing  a  sword,  and 
threatening  destruction  to  all  in,  and  some  out  of,  authority.  Officer 
Banfield  seized  him,  secured  the  weapon,  and  drew  him  into  the  ranks, 
conveying  him  to  headquarters,  where  he  was  locked  up.  In  the  evening 
the  command  were  at  the  City  Hall  again,  and  participated  in  the  vari- 
ous excursions  therefrom.  On  Wednesday  morning  the  force  were  ordered 
to  the  Twenty-seventh  Precinct,  and  thence  to  their  own  precinct,  Har- 
lem. They  reached  Harlem  in  the  afternoon,  and  were  received  with 
enthusiasm  by  the  residents.  Although  this  force  were  not  engaged  on 
any  very  hazardous  duty,  yet  they  were  actively  employed,  and  what 
duties  were  assigned  them  were  fully  performed. 

The  few  of  this  precinct  who  remained  with  Capt.  Relay  and  Ser- 
geant Sandford,  at  the  station-house,  had  very  constant  duty;  they 
staid  at  request  of  citizens,  who  reinforced  them  with  special  patrolmen. 
The  station-house  was  threatened  on  several  occasions,  but  no  attack 
made.  At  3^  A.  M.,  Tuesday  morning,  the  premises  at  One  Hundred 
and  Twenty-ninth  Street  and  Third  Avenue  were  fired,  and  the  force 
aided  the  firemen  in  their  duties.  About  this  time  officer  Bertholf, 
who  was  scouting,  was  attacked  in  the  vicinity  by  six  or  eight  men,  and 
badly  beaten ;  he  continued,  however,  on  duty.  During  Tuesday  night 
three  attempts  were  made  to  burn  the  Baptist  Church  on  Fifth  Avenue 
and  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-fifth  Street,  but  were  frustrated  by  the 
vigilance  of  the  officers  and  specials ;  an  attempt  to  fire  the  dwelling  of 
Edgar  Ketchum,  Esq.,  on  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-seventh  Street, 
was  also  prevented  ;  Sergt.  Wares,  discovering  the  attempt,  gave  timely 
alarm.  There  were  no  further  matters  of  note  in  the  precinct,  except 
the  visit,  on  Wednesday  morning,  of  a  gang  of  thieves,  who,  meeting 
citizens,  would  demand  and  take  money  from  them.  They  were  speedily 
driven  away.  The  first  arrest  of  this  character  of  villains  was  made  in 
Harlem  by  a  number  of  firemen — Messrs.  Peter  Gallagher,  Thos. 
Green,  Luke  Hope,  and  A.  Liscomb,  of  Engine  Company  No.  35,  and 
Charles  Riker,  of  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  No.  7.  These  gentle- 
men, while  on  patrol,  came  across  a  gang  of  fifteen  or  twenty  of  them, 
and  made  an  attack  forthwith.  A  severe  fight  ensued,  but  resulted  in 
the  capture  of  four  and  the  flight  of  the  rest  of  the  thieves.  They  were 
taken  by  their  captors  to  the  station-house,  subsequently  committed,  and 
have  been  indicted.  Of  the  courage  of  these  gentlemen  the  police  and 
citizens  of  Harlem  speak  in  just  terms  of  praise.  So  do  the  latter  of 
the  Captain  and  the  force  left  there,  whose  well-arranged  plans  and  con- 
stant vigilance  were  of  the  greatest  value. 


54  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

Thirteenth  Precinct. 

Capt.  Thomas  Steers,  No.  178  Delancey  Street.  At  noon  the  Cap- 
tain, with  Sergeants  Bird  and  Smith,  and  twenty-five  men,  were  ordered 
to  Forty-sixth  Street  and  Third  Avenue,  to  report  to  Capt.  Porter.  It 
was  with  much  difficulty  that  they  made  their  way  as  far  as  Thirty-fifth 
Street  and  Third  Avenue,  and  here  found  it  impossible  to  proceed  fur- 
ther, the  mob  being  overwhelming  and  threatening.  The  force,  there- 
fore, reported  at  the  Twenty-first  Precinct,  East  Thirty-first  Street. 
Here  great  excitement  prevailed,  the  mob  gathering  around  the  station- 
house,  threatening  to  destroy  it.  Sergeant  Samuel  Forshay  was  in  com- 
mand, at  whose  request  Capt.  Steers  took  charge  and  made  arrange- 
ments to  defend  it,  which  deterred  the  rioters  from  further  demonstra- 
tions. From  this  station  Capt.  Steers  sent  conveyances  for  the  wounded 
in  the  fight  up  the  avenue  and  at  Forty -sixth  Street,  and  several  were  thus 
brought  in.  In  the  evening  reported  at  headquarters,  and  were  joined 
by  the  balance  of  the  command,  except  Sergt.  Woodward,  left  in  charge 
of  the  station.  The  force  were  on  picket  duty  around  headquarters,  and 
subsequently  with  Inspector  Carpenter  in  the  attack  on  the  mob  in 
the  Park,  where  they  did  considerable  execution ;  thence,  under 
same  command,  through  the  Fourth  and  other  wards ;  over  night  at 
headquarters,  and  on  Tuesday  morning,  with  others,  under  Capt.  Sebring, 
gave  the  mob  at  Spring  and  Crosby  Streets  a  severe  defeat ;  on  the  same 
day  were  with  Capt.  Helme's  command  in  the  attack  on  the  mob  at  Sec- 
ond Avenue  and  Twenty-second  Street,  wrhere  this  force  evinced  great 
bravery,  being  among  the  first  on  the  mob  and  into  the  building,  en- 
countering about  fifty  of  the  rioters  armed  with  carbines,  who,  after  a 
severe  fight,  were  disarmed  and  terribly  punished.  The  Thirteenth  were 
subsequently  engaged  in  the  laborious  work  of  securing  and  carrying 
down  stairs  the  large  number  of  carbines  and  loading  them  into 
the  wagon  which  had  been  secured.  After  this  work  was  done,  and  the 
entire  command  reformed  by  Capt.  Helme,  they  were  hemmed  in  from 
all  directions  by  mobs,  and  would  have  had  a  bloody  battle  but  for  the 
timely  arrival  of  Inspector  Dilks  and  his  command. 

After  the  taking  of  the  building,  Capt.  Steers  sent  Sergt.  Laflin, 
officers  Seymour  and  Osborn,  to  seize  a  wagon  for  the  purpose  of  load- 
ing it  with  the  arms.  They  took  one,  emptied  out  its  load,  and,  with  the 
driver,  brought  it  to  the  building,  where  it  was  used  for  the  required 
purpose. 

At  night  this  precinct  formed  a  portion  of  the  force  under  Inspector 
Carpenter  in  the  attack  upon  the  rioters  at  Brooks  Brothers'  clothing 
store,  Catharine  Street,  after  which,  from  headquarters,  it  was  ordered  to  the 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  55 

care  of  its  own  precinct,  where  the  rioters  had  sacked  Provost  Marshal 
Duffy's  quarters  in  Grand  Street,  were  robbing  stores,  and  beating  ne- 
groes. A  short  time  before  their  arrival,  a  mob,  led  by  a  man  since  ar- 
rested and  indicted,  had  been  met  at  Pitt  and  Delancey  Streets,  and 
fired  into  by  the  military,  and  a  number  killed ;  the  body  of  one  of  them 
was  brought  to  the  station  about  the  time  the  force  reached  there.  This 
had  had  a  good  effect,  and  deterred  the  mob  from  an  attack  on  the  sta- 
tion-house, threatened  several  times  during  the  day,  but  each  time  boldly 
met  and  prevented  by  Sergt.  Woodward,  in  charge.  The  force  arrived 
at  midnight,  and  at  once  were  engaged  in  dispersing  all  gatherings  in  the 
precinct,  saving  and  affording  refuge  to  colored  people,  and,  with  a  force 
of  specials  aiding,  broke  upon  and  scattered  a  mob  about  to  destroy  the 
"  Hook,"  in  Jackson  Street.  At  every  turn  the  rioters  were  subse- 
quently met,  no  opportunity  afforded  them  of  uniting,  and  by  Wednes- 
day noon  order  reigned  in  the  precinct.  Then  the  force  devoted  them- 
selves to  recovering  stolen  goods,  and  during  the  week  secured  a  large 
quantity.  On  Saturday  resumed  usual  duty.  All  of  this  precinct  did 
faithfully,  finely,  and  it  is  just  to  make  signal  mention  of  special  police- 
men Braisteed,  Welsh,  Barrett,  and  Tooker,  whose  efficiency  and 
courage  were  especially  noticeable. 


Fourteenth  Precinct. 

Capt.  J.  J.  Williamson,  No.  53  Spring  Street.  The  force,  under  the 
Captain,  Sergeant  Mackey  accompanying,  on  Monday  reported  in  full  at 
lieadquarters  at  4  P.  M.,  being  among  the  earliest,  and  accompanied 
Inspector  Carpenter  to  Broadway  and  Amity  Street,  where  such  a  bold 
and  successful  fight  was  had  with  a  mob,  and  where  the  locusts  of  the 
Fourteenth  were  active  in  strewing  the  ground.  At  night  were  at  the 
City  Hall,  under  Inspector  Leonard,  where  a  full  share  of  the  responsible 
duties  in  that  section  was  performed  by  them. 

On  Tuesday  were  sent,  Sergeant  Ulman  in  command,  with  Capt. 
Petty's  command,  to  disperse  the  rioters  at  the  soap  factory  in  Sixteenth 
Street ;  and  afterward,  under  Capt.  Helme,  were  engaged  in  the  recovery 
of  the  arms  at  Twenty-second  Street  and  Second  Avenue,  where  the 
terrible  fight  was  had,  and  where,  but  for  the  steady  courage  of  the  men, 
they  would  have  been  overcome.  In  this  affair  the  Fourteenth,  under  Ser- 
geant Hughes,  were  closely  engaged',  and  many  of  them  had  narrow  es- 
capes ;  they  acted  together  and  made  havoc  among  their  opponents,  some 
of  whom  they  pursued  far  beyond  where  safety  would  suggest.  At  night 
they  were  at  Brooks  Brothers'  store,  under  Inspector  Carpenter,  where 


56  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

again  their  steady  courage  was  evinced.  It  was  a  sharp,  quick,  hard 
fight,  and  well  won.  The  night  was  pitchy  dark.  The  command  came 
on  to  the  mob  gathered  at  Catharine,  Hamilton,  Cherry,  and  Oak  Streets. 
A  platoon  charged  into  each  street.  The  Fourteenth  took  Oak  ;  had 
hand-to-hand  fight,  but  cleared  it  of  everything  living.  In  the  melee 
officer  Regan  became  separated  from  his  force,  and  was  chased  into  a 
hallway,  from  which  he  escaped  to  the  rear,  and  fled- over  fences  and 
sheds.  He  received  bad  injuries  in  jumping  to  the  ground,  but  saved 
his  life.  After  this  affair  a  march  was  made  through  the  Fourth  Ward, 
and  several  collisions  with  the  rioters  had, — in  all  cases  the  latter  being 
speedily  dispersed ;  thence  the  command  marched  to  the  Fifth  Ward ; 
at  West  Broadway  and  Leonard  Street  they  were  unexpectedly  attacked 
with  shot  and  stones ;  made  a  rush,  swept  the  rioters  right  and  left,  and 
cleared  the  vicinity.  Soon  after  returned  to  headquarters,  where  they  were 
held  in  reserve  until  Friday,  then  returning  to  routine  duty  at  their  own 
precinct.  On  Wednesday  morning  twenty-five  were  sent  to  Yorkville, 
under  Roundsman  Steers,  where  they  were  of  the  greatest  service. 

At  11  A.  M.  Wednesday,  officers  Sutton,  Riley,  Dubuar,  and 
Cannon,  of  this  force,  were  detailed  to  pilot  a  regiment  to  Jackson's 
foundery,  /Twenty-eighth  Street,  between  First  and  Second  Avenues, 
which  had  been  threatened.  At  Twenty-third  Street  and  First  Avenue 
the  military  were  fired  on  by  the  mob  ;  the  attack  was  continued  through 
Twenty-third  to  Second  Avenue,  and  on  the  Avenue  to  Twenty-fifth 
Street,  without  any  response  ;  here,  however,  the  howitzer  was  unlim- 
bered,  and  the  mob  fled.  The  line  of  march  was  resumed,  when  the 
mob  rallied  and  renewed  the  assault,  continuing  it  till  the  foundery,  on 
Twenty-eighth  Street,  was  reached.  Soon  after  the  military  reached  it 
they  were  again  assailed  by  the  mob  which  had  followed  them,  and  by 
another  from  the  First  Avenue.  There  was  a  delay  in  getting  into  the 
building,  the  doors  being  locked,  and  the  mobs  were  firing  and  pressing 
down.  The  military  thereupon  fired  several  well-directed  volleys,  kill- 
ing and  wounding  a  number,  and  causing  a  dispersion.  Until  late  next 
day  the  foundery  was  constantly  besieged  and  threatened  by  large  mobs, 
but  the  determination  of  the  military  kept  them  at  bay. 

The  fury  of  the  rioters  appeared  to  be  directed  against  the  four  po- 
licemen ;  a  committee  waited  on  the  officer  in  command  and  demanded 
that  they  should  be  delivered  up  ;  if  not,  the  foundery  would  be  stormed 
at  all  hazards  ;  he  was  assured  if  they  were  delivered  up  the  mob  would 
disperse.  The  committee  stood  at  a  respectful  distance  while  delivering 
their  message,  and  took  to  their  heels,  on  an  intimation  to  do  so  or  they 
would  be  shot.  At  1  P.  M.  Thursday,  the  four  of  the  Fourteenth,  dis- 
guised in  old  garments  of  workmen  which  had  been  found  in  the  foundery, 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  5f 

made  their  way  out,  mingled  with  and  through  the  mob,  and  succeeded, 
unmolested,  in  reaching  headquarters. 

On  all  the  duties  this  force  were  engaged  in  they  were  up  to  the 
requirements,  on  no  occasion  failing  to  respond  faithfully  and  gallantly. 

Fifteenth  Precinct. 

Capt.  C.  W.  Caffry,  No.  221  Mercer  Street.  At  9  A.  M.  Monday, 
Sergeant  McCredie  and  fourteen  men  reported  to  Capt.  Speight,  at  No. 
1190  Broadway,  and  were  sent  to  Third  Avenue  and  Forty-sixth  Street. 
Reaching  the  avenue  from  Forty-third  Street,  a  crowd  was  found  extend- 
ing to  Forty-sixth  Street — a  mass  of  excited,  belligerent  people.  Here 
the  small  force  of  the  Fifteenth  was  joined  by  more  of  the  police,  making 
in  all  forty-four.  The  mob  met  them  defiantly.  Sergt.  McCredie — 
Fighting  Mac,  as  he  is  familiarly  called — took  command.  The  regulars, 
beaten  by  the  rioters,  were  fleeing  down  the  avenue  pursued  by  the  mob. 
The  Sergeant  ordered  a  charge,  which  was  instantly  and  gallantly  made ; 
the  mob  was  driven  back  to  Forty-sixth  Street,  prostrate  men  marking 
the  advance  of  the  force ;  at  Forty-sixth  Street,  where  they  expected  to 
meet  more  police,  none  were  to  be  seen ;  the  mob  rallied  and  soon 
poured  down  the  avenue  again,  and  crowded  it  in  the  rear  from  the  side 
streets ;  they  numbered  thousands ;  they  made  an  overwhelming  charge 
from  above  upon  the  force ;  stones,  bricks,  &c,  from  street  and  houses, 
from  front  and  rear,  filled  the  air ;  clubs,  iron  bars,  guns  and  pistols  were 
used  upon  them ;  the  men  attempted  to  keep  together,  but  it  was  in  vain ; 
the  force  broke  before  the  mass  and  fled,  each  for  himself;  those  who 
took  the  side  streets  were  the  most  fortunate ;  those  who  ran  down  the 
avenue  were  not  only  pursued  and  beaten  by  the  mob  which  had  charged 
on  them,  but  had  to  run  the  fearful  gauntlet  of  the  one  below.  Of  the 
fourteen  men  of  this  precinct  engaged  here,  nine  were  injured — several 
seriously.  All  those  who  escaped  reported  as  soon  as  possible  to  the 
station-house. 

In  this  battle  and  retreat  officer  Bennett  was  knocked  down  three 
times  before  he  ceased  fighting ;  the  last  time  he  was  senseless.  He  was 
robbed  of  every  article  on  him  save  his  drawers,  beaten  savagely  as  he 
lay  in  the  street,  and  left  for  dead.  After  the  mob  passed  on  he  was 
conveyed  by  some  strangers  to  St.  Luke's  Hospital.  Here  he  was 
thought  dead,  and  placed  in  the  dead-house  by  order  of  some  one  in 
charge,  where  he  remained  several  hours.  His  distracted  wife,  ascer- 
taining where  he  was,  hastened  to  him.  She  could  not  believe  him  dead ; 
discovered  that  his  heart  pulsated ;  flew  to  the  officials  and  begged  their 
aid.     He  was  removed  into  the  hospital  buildings,  restoratives  applied, 


58  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

and  he  revived,  but  remained  unconscious  for  three  days.  His  condition 
for  some  time  was  critical. 

Officer  Travis,  at  the  defeat  and  separation  of  the  force,  started  down 
the  avenue ;  his  foremost  pursuer  had  a  pistol ;  he  wheeled,  knocked 
him  down,  and  secured  the  weapon ;  before  he  could  use  it  others  were 
on  and  upon  him  ;  he  fell  beneath  a  score  of  clubs,  was  stamped,  jumped 
upon,  and  otherwise  terribly  assailed ;  his  jaw  was  broken,  his  teeth 
knocked  out,  his  head  terribly  cut,  his  right  hand  broken,  and  he  left 
for  dead,  after  being  stripped  of  every  article  of  clothing,  even  to  shirt 
and  stockings.     He  was  subsequently  carried  to  St.  Luke's  Hospital. 

The  retreat  down  the  avenue  was  under  a  shower  of  shot  and  stones. 
Officer  Phillips  also  ran  the  gauntlet,  receiving  many  head  and  body 
blows,  and,  on  turning  into  Thirty-ninth  Street,  made  for  the  open  door 
of  a  residence,  but  it  was  closed  against  him.  At  this  moment  one  of 
his  pursuers,  in  soldier's  clothes,  fired  a  musket,  but,  missing  him, 
clubbed  the  weapon,  and  assailed  him.  The  blow  was  caught,  and  the 
musket  wrenched  away.  Phillips,  almost  blind  with  blood,  and  stag- 
gering from  exhaustion,  clubbed  the  fellow  down,  and  another  run  for 
life  was  had,  during  which  the  musket  was  thrown  over  a  fence ;  he 
made  across  lots  in  rear  of  Third  Avenue,  to  Fortieth  Street,  but  here 
was  headed  off  by  a  portion  of  the  mob ;  a  woman  rushed  upon  him, 
and  making  a  blow  at  his  neck  with  a  shoemaker's  knife,  missed  her 
mark  and  split  his  ear ;  another  lunge,  and  it  made  a  severe  wound  in 
his  arm.  At  this  juncture  some  one,  evidently  of  influence  in  that  sec- 
tion, came  to  his  rescue  and  threatened  with  death  any  one  who  made 
further  attack ;  he  took  Phillips'  club,  and  by  his  determined  manner 
succeeded  in  keeping  them  off  and  getting  him  to  the  Thirty -first  Pre- 
cinct station.  When  the  mob  met  him  at  Fortieth  Street,  a  little  fellow 
of  some  thirteen  years  sought  to  save  him  by  running  up,  grasping  his 
hand,  and  claiming  that  he  was  his  father,  beseeching  them  not  to  kill 
him.  His  entreaties  were  of  no  avail,  and,  but  for  the  interference 
of  the  party  mentioned,  his  fate  would  have  been  a  hard  one. 

Sergt.  McCredie,  on  the  charge,  was  struck  on  the  wrist  with  a  bar 
of  iron  and  badly  injured.  On  the  retreat  he  was  attacked  by  four  men, 
and  knocked  down  two ;  he  fled  into  the  house  of  a  German  family,  and 
was  instantly  secreted  by  a  young  woman  there  between  two  mattresses ; 
the  mob  soon  came  rushing  in ;  searched  the  house  from  cellar  to  garret 
without  success ;  were  told  that  the  Sergeant  had  ran  through  and 
escaped  by  the  rear  way,  and  left  satisfied  it  was  so. 

Officer  Sutherland  was  knocked  down  with  a  brick,  then  beaten  till 
insensible — from  head  to  foot  a  mass  of  gashes  and  bruises.  He  was  picked 
up  when  the  mob  left  him,  and  conveyed  to  St,  Luke's  Hospital.    Officer 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1868.  59 

Mingay  was  badly  beaten  on  head  and  body.  The  crowd  only  left  him 
when  they  thought  he  was  punished  enough.  Officer  Terence  Kiernan, 
after  receiving  a  stunning  blow  on  the  back  of  the  head  with  a  stone,  a 
blow  on  the  back  of  the  neck  with  a  hay-bale  rung,  and  a  blow  on  each 
knee  about  the  same  moment,  fell ;  while  prostrate  and  nearly  insensible, 
the  wife  of  Mr.  Eagan,  who  saved  Superintendent  Kennedy,  threw  her- 
self on  his  body  and  cried :  "  For  God's  sake,  men,  do  not  kill  him." 
This  restrained  the  mob,  and  they  passed  on ;  he,  Kiernan,  was  carried 
into  a  house,  minus  his  coat,  vest,  cap,  and  shield ;  the  shield  was  after- 
wards given  to  him  by  Mrs.  Eagan,  who  picked  it  up,  covered  with 
blood,  in  the  street.  He  was  subsequently  disguised  and  smuggled  out. 
In  coming  down,  he  called  at  the  Croton  Cottage,  was  recognized,  but, 
by  a  clever  dodge,  escaped.  Not  so  with  the  cottage ;  in  less  than  an 
hour  afterward  it  was  in  flames. 

Officer  Broughton,  on  the  charge,  was  cut  in  head  and  face,  one  of 
his  eyes  almost  destroyed,  but  went  twice  into  the  fight  after  being  in- 
jured. Officer  Gabriel  received  enough  body  blows  to  make  a  jelly  of 
him,  but  none  that  proved  serious. 

While  Sergt.  McCreadie's  section  was  thought  safe  at  Forty-sixth 
Street  and  Third  Avenue,  the  off-platoon,  under  Roundsman  Thacher, 
consisting  of  eighteen  men,  was  sent  to  reinforce  him.  They  reached 
the  scene  after  the  defeat,  without  knowing  of  it,  and  were  instantly  and 
desperately  attacked.  A  bold  fight  was,  for  a  time,  made,  and  a  running 
retreat,  in  tolerably  good  order,  ensued.  The  fight  throughout  was  hand 
to  hand,  the  men  injured  receiving  club  blows.  Officer  Bodine's  head 
and  face  was  a  mass  of  wounds,  and  his  clothes  were  stripped  from  off 
him.  He  was  rescued  and  brought  to  the  station  in  a  wagon.  Officer 
Foster  was  cut  on  the  face  and  head,  badly  bruised  on  the  body,  and, 
in  running  the  gauntlet  of  clubs  and  stones  on  the  avenue,  was  knocked 
down  fourteen  times  ;  he  fainted  after  escaping  his  pursuers,  and  was 
taken  by  citizens  to  the  station.  All  of  those  who  were  able  to,  reported 
promptly  at  the  precinct. 

Officers  Did  way  and  Gibbs  of  this  platoon  arrived  too  late  at  the  sta- 
tion to  join  it,  and  so  followed  it  up.  On  reaching  Forty-sixth  Street  and 
Third  Avenue,  and  knowing  nothing  of  the  defeat  of  their  comrades,  they 
turned  into  the  avenue,  and  were  forthwith  set  upon  by  the  mob ;  they 
fought  their  way  back  as  best  they  could.  Officer  Didway,  after  receiv- 
ing much  injury,  and  a  terrific  blow  on(the  head,  which  forced  his  eye 
out  of  the  socket,  managed  to  find  safety  in  an  alley-way,  from  whence 
he  was  taken  to  his  home.  Officer  Gibbs  fought  as  long  as  he  could  see, 
fell  beneath  the  blows,  and  was  then  kicked,  beaten,  stoned,  and  left  for 
dead.     He  was  conveyed  to  St.  Luke's  Hospital  by  some  residents  of 


60  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

the  vicinity  so  soon  as  the  mob  left  him.  Of  the  injured  in  these  two 
fights,  officers  Bennett,  Travis,  and  Gibbs  were  long  unable  to  do  duty. 

In  the  afternoon  a  portion  of  the  force  were  with  Inspector  Carpenter 
in  the  defeat  of  the  mob  at  Broadway  and  Amity ;  here  one  of  the 
ringleaders  was  captured  by  Sergeant  Roe,  and  another  by  officer  Bar- 
hebt;  both  were  severely  punished,  and  were  lodged  in  the  station  near 
by.  Fourteen  knapsacks  filled  with  plunder  were  dropped  on  the  street 
by  the  rioters,  and  taken  charge  of  by  the  police.  At  midnight  the  force 
returned  to  its  own  precinct. 

On  Tuesday  morning  to  Central  Office ;  subsequently,  with  Captain 
Helme's  command,  to  Second  Avenue  and  Twenty-second  Street.  In  the 
severe  fight  here,  this  command  were  unflinching  and  valuable ;  Sergeant 
Blakelock  was  fired  at,  the  ball  grazing  his  cheek.  Returning  to  the 
Central  Office,  were  ordered  to  report  to  Inspector  Leonard,  at  City  Hall, 
and  were  engaged  on  guard  and  other  duties  thereabouts.  At  night 
were  with  Inspector  Carpenter's  command  in  the  attack  on  mob  at 
Brooks  Brothers'  clothing  store,  and  on  the  subsequent  tour  and  skir- 
mishes. Returned  to  Central  Office,  and  thence  to  own  precinct  for  the 
night.  Captain  Caffry  received  word  that  Broadway  was  infested  with 
highwaymen  ;  Roundsman  Thacher,  with  six  men,  started  on  patrol,  and 
at  one  o'clock  arrested  three  highwaymen,  two  of  whom  have  since  been 
sent  for  ten  years  to  State  Prison ;  they  had  met,  knocked  down,  and 
robbed  a  Mr.  Searles,  in  front  of  the  Jones  House.  Next  morning  the 
force  returned  to  the  City  Hall,  where  they  remained,  engaged  in  divers 
duties,  until  Saturday,  when  ordered  to  their  precinct  on  usual  ser- 
vice. 

The  Fifteenth  have  won  great  credit  for  the  amount  of  services  ren- 
dered and  the  courage  and  fidelity  with  which  they  were  performed. 
The  number  of  wounded  in  the  various  engagements  was  fifteen,  of  which 
eleven  were  very  seriously  injured — a  greater  list  of  casualties,  probably, 
than  in  any  other  precinct.  On  all  occasions  they  were  willing  and 
effective.  Sergeant  Blakelock  was  sick  in  bed  when  he  heard  of  the  riot, 
but  at  once  reported  himself  for  duty ;  he  served  bravely  through  the 
week,  and  then  went  to  bed  again  more  ill  than  before.  Sergeants 
Dilks,  McCredie,  and  Roe,  with  Roundsmen  Thacher  and  Lefferts, 
are  entitled,  with  the  men,  to  all  commendation,  and  the  Captain  bestows 
it  lavishly. 

While  on  guard  duty  in  Park,  Tuesday  evening,  officer  Hector 
Moore  came  across  two  men  garroting  a  returned  soldier;  he  arrested 
both  of  them,  and  they  have  since  been  sentenced,  by  Recorder  Hoffman, 
to  fifteen  years  each.  Six  others  arrested  by  the  officers  of  this  precinct 
are  awaiting  trial  for  highway  robbery,  and  two  for  riot.     At  the  fight 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  186S.  61 

at  Leonard  Street  and  West  Broadway,  Sergeant  Roe  was  fired  at,  the 
ball  cutting  off  the  tip  of  a  finger.  Sergeant  Dilks  was  invaluable  to 
his  command  during  Riot  Week,  as  he  was  to  other  commands  to  which 
he  was  attached.  On  all  occasions  he  was  cool  and  courageous.  The  first 
intimation  received  by  the  Captain  of  the  very  serious  character  of  the 
riot  was  when  his  men  came  in,  on  retreat,  bringing  some  of  the  wounded 
with  them.  Six  doctors  were  at  once  engaged  in  attending  to  the  latter. 
On  the  retreat  of  McCredie's  section  from  Forty-sixth  Street,  men  and 
women  from  adjoining  houses,  for  want  of  other  articles,  hurled  house- 
hold furniture  and  crockery  at  them. 

Sixteenth  Precinct. 

Captain  H.  Hedden,  No.  156  West  Twentieth  Street.  At  5  P.  M. 
Monday  the  force  was  at  Central  Office ;  at  night  at  City  Hall,  under 
Inspector  Leonard,  where  employed  till  morning.  On  Tuesday  morn- 
ing Captain  Hedden  and  force  were  part  of  Inspector  Dilks'  command 
in  the  battle  at  the  factory,  Twenty-second  Street  and  Second  Avenue, 
where  the  officers  and  men  had  severe  encounters  ;  the  rioters,  at  close 
quarters,  clubbed  their  muskets,  and  fought  desperately ;  but  it  was  of 
no  avail ;  down  they  went  and  over  were  they  run.  At  this  time  Sergeant 
Wright  was  disabled  by  a  blow  with  the  but  of  a  musket,  as  was  also 
officer  Warner,  in  hand-to-hand  encounters.  Many  others  of  the  force 
were  injured,  but  not  seriously. 

At  the  above  battle  one  of  the  parties  of  rioters  attacking  the  Six- 
teenth were  under  the  lead  of  a  man  who  exhibited  great  courage  ;  his 
comrades  were  driven  back  and  he  retreated  under  terrific  and  deadly 
punishment ;  turning  to  escape,  and  even  then  dying,  as  he  reached  the 
sidewalk  he  tripped  on  the  curb  and  staggered  head  foremost  on  to  an 
iron  picket-fence  ;  one  of  the  pickets  entered  under  his  chin,  penetrating 
to  and  into  the  roof  of  his  mouth.  Thus  horribly  impaled,  his  head  sus- 
pended, his  body  [stretching  to  the  ground,  he  died, — there  being,  by  friend 
or  foe,  no  opportunity  at  the  time  of  extricating  him.  The  attention  of 
Captain  Hedden  was  subsequently  attracted  to  his  shocking  position, 
the  body  was  taken  down,  and  laid  on  the  sidewalk.  It  was  found,  to 
the  surprise  of  all,  to  be  that  of  a  young  man  of  delicate  features,  white, 
fair  skin.  Although  dressed  as  a  laborer,  in  dirty  overalls  and  filthy 
shirt,  underneath  these  were  fine  cassimere  pants,  handsome  rich  vest, 
and  fine  linen  shirt.  He  was  evidently  a  man,  in  intelligence  and  posi- 
tion, far  above  those  with  whom  he  had  been  in  fellowship.  It  was  im- 
possible at  the  time  to  take  possession  of  the  body,  as  further  attacks 
by  the  rioters  were  constantly  expected.     Nothing  of  the  identity  of  the 


62  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

party  is  known ;  the  body,  left  with  those  of  the  others  killed,  found  a 
grave  with  them.  This  is  a  suggestive  incident,  and,  were  it  possible  to 
have  secured  the  remains,  a  revelation  of  great  importance  as  to  the  in- 
stigators of  the  riots,  it  is  thought,  would  have  been  made. 

At  this  same  fight  a  rioter  came  rushing  out  of  the  factory  having  a 
carbine  with  sword-bayonet  attached.  He  made  a  desperate  assault  upon 
one  of  the  officers  of  the  Sixteenth,  the  bayonet  cutting  through  the  coat- 
sleeve  and  just  missing  the  arm ;  withdrawing  it  and  about  to  make 
another  and  more  successful  thrust,  he  was  felled  to  the  earth  by 
members  of  this  command,  and  died  soon  after.  The  carbine  was 
so  firmly  clutched  that  it  was  with  great  difficulty  taken  from  his  grasp. 
He  was  accompanied  from  the  building  by  a  lad  who  clung  to  his  coat. 
One  of  the  officers  caught  him  up,  carried  him  out  of  harm's  way,  and  he 
ran  shrieking  off  to  a  bevy  of  women  who  had  been  urging  on  the 
rioters. 

Tuesday  evening  the  Sixteenth  repaired  to  the  City  Hall,  and  were 
sent,  under  Captain  Hedden,  to  Thomas  Street,  near  West  Broadway, 
where,  coming  upon  a  mob  destroying  the  dwellings  of  colored  people, 
they  made  a  charge  and  scattered  it.  Before  daylight,  Wednesday,  were 
on  duty  protecting  Western  Hotel,  Courtlandt  Street;  the  mob  here  fled 
to  Greenwich  Street,  and,  re-collecting,  attempted  to  break  in  and  rob  a 
shoe  store  there ;  this  precinct  followed  and  beat  them  off;  in  the  course 
of  the  melee  pistols  were  used  by  the  mob,  but  without  effect.  This  force 
also  repaired  to  the  U.  S.  Bonded  Warehouse,  Greenwich  Street,  which 
was  being  attacked ;  on  nearing  it  they  received  a  volley  of  shots  from 
the  rioters,  but  made  a  bold  charge,  and,  after  a  brisk  fight,  drove 
them  off.  The  mob  had  broken  into  the  building  and  were  about  setting 
fire  to  it  when  Captain  Hedden  and  his  command  assailed  them. 

On  Wednesday  evening  Sergeant  Wright  and  ten  men  were  detailed 
to  the  United  States  Marshal's  office,  where  they  remained  till  Saturday. 
The  balance  of  the  force,  on  Wednesday,  did  escort  duty  at  the  funeral 
of  Brig.-Gen.  Weed,  and  afterward  were  sent  to  Hudson  and  North 
Moore  Streets,  where  a  crowd  threatening  a  mission  school  was  punished 
and  driven  off;  thence  a  march  was  taken  through  the  Fifth  Precinct, 
and  all  gatherings  dispersed ;  in  the  evening  they  visited  Pier  No.  4, 
North  River,  and  prevented  a  renewal  of  the  outrages  there.  This  closed 
the  active  duty  of  the  Sixteenth ;  it  remained  in  reserve  at  the  Hall  until 
Saturday  morning,  when  ordered  to  its  own  quarters. 

The  Sixteenth,  officers  and  men,  emulated  each  other  in  effectively 
doing  all  they  had  to  do,  and  found  no  risks  too  great  to  encounter,  no 
duties  too  arduous  to  perform. 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863,  63 


Seventeenth  Precinct. 

Capt.  S.  Brower,  First  Avenue,  corner  of  Fifth  Street.  Early  on 
Monday  morning  the  Captain,  with  his  force,  reported  to  Capt.  Porter, 
at  Forty-sixth  Street  and  Third  Avenue.  When  reaching  there  the 
crowd  was  not  large,  but  soon  the  rioters  assembled  in  force,  coming  in 
fifties  and  hundreds  from  different  sections,  until  swelled  to  thousands  of 
excited  men  armed  with  clubs  and  other  weapons.  The  first  overt  act 
was  the  stoppage  of  the  Third  Avenue  cars,  the  taking  off  of  the  driver 
and  horses*  and  compelling  the  passengers  to  get  out.  The  force  at- 
tempted to  prevent  this,  but  were  driven  back.  Then  ensued  an  attack 
on  the  Marshal's  office,  a  shower  of  stones  breaking  doors  and  windows, 
and  finally  the  mob  rushed  into  the  building,  beating  back  the  small 
force  who  valiantly  opposed  them,  until  flight  or  death  were  the  alterna- 
tives. The  force  retreated  into  Forty -sixth  Street,  where  they  were  en- 
gaged in  saving  the  occupants  of  the  building  and  their  property — the 
premises  having  been  fired — until  they  were  again  beaten  back  by  over- 
whelming numbers.  Sergeant  Finch  arrived  about  this  time  and  took 
command,  Capt.  Brower  going  to  the  station-house.  ■  The  Sergeant 
made,  with  his  force,  a  charge  upon  the  mob,  but  failed  to  disperse  them, 
and  received  a  severe  gash  from  a  blow  on  the  forehead,  which  subse- 
quently laid  him  up,  and  his  force  was  compelled  to  retreat.  The  mob 
was  a  huge  one,  thousands  composing  it,  and  the  opposing  force,  bravely 
as  they  did,  were  entirely  inadequate.  After  the  discomfiture  here,  they 
reported  to  headquarters,  and  in  the  evening,  under  Capt.  Brower,  were 
at  the  Park  with  Inspector  Carpenter,  where  they  made  havoc  upon  the 
mob  in  the  grand  charge  heretofore  detailed ;  thence  through  Fourth 
Ward  and  to  Central  Office  for  the  night.  On  Tuesday  this  precinct 
joined  Capt.  Petty's  command  in  the  visit  to  the  soap  factory  in  Six- 
teenth Street,  and  aided  in  restoring  order  in  that  section.  They  were 
also  with  Capt.  Helme's  hazardous  expedition  in  the  Second  Avenue,  and 
took  a  liberal  hand  in  the  severe  fight  there ;  they  were  among  those 
storming  the  building  in  which  the  stolen  guns  were  stored,  taking  it 
after  a  savage  fight,  and  recovering  a  large  number  of  arms.  At  night 
Sergt.  Slote  and  ten  men  were  detailed  for  duty  to  Gen.  Wool,  re- 
maining until  quiet  was  restored.  At  midnight  Capt.  Brower  took  com- 
mand of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  marching  through  the  Eleventh, 
Thirteenth,  and  Seventeenth  Precincts,  returning  to  headquarters 
Wednesday  morning.  At  9  A.  M.,  in  command  of  his  own  and  the 
Eighteenth  and  Nineteenth  Precinct  forces,  he  proceeded  to  the  scene 
of  riot  and  murder  in  Thirty-second  Street,  between  Sixth  and  Seventh 


64  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

Avenues,  dispersing  the  crowd  and  recovering  the  body  of  the  colored 
man  hung  there,  bringing  it  to  headquarters. 

This  was  the  last  of  the  active  duties.  In  the  Forty-sixth  Street 
battle  Sergeant  Finch  was  severely  injured ;  Sergeant  Slote  was,  sub- 
sequently, the  only  officer  acting  with  Capt.  Brower,  Sergeant  Griffith 
being  deputed  to  the  telegraph  office,  and  Sergeant  Weith  left  in  charge 
of  the  station-house.  The  conduct  of  every  man  was,  throughout,  of  the 
most  creditable  character,  and  the  Captain  alleges  that  he  wants  to  lead 
no  better  men  in  any  emergency,  never  mind  how  great. 

At  the  fight  on  Forty-sixth  Street,  the  force  were,  of  course,  power- 
less. Officer  Hill  was  badly  hurt ;  officer  Weill  was  so  badly  injured 
as  long  to  be  unable  to  resume  duty ;  and  some  four  or  five  others  were 
wounded.  On  this  occasion  women  were  active  in  urging  on  the  rioters. 
The  fight  was  hand  to  hand,  and  the  force  did  bravely  against  over- 
powering numbers. 

When  the  force  was  in  Second  Avenue  fight  under  Capt.  Helme,  after 
the  charge  upon  and  capture  of  the  building  where  the  stolen  arms 
were  secreted,  officer  Tyler  secured  a  gun ;  he  coolly  went  into  the 
street,  and  procuring  from  a  soldier,  whom  he  found  in  the  vicinity, 
several  rounds  of  ammunition,  loaded  his  piece,  and  then  started, 
alone,  down  Twenty-second  Street  toward  First  Avenue,  where  the  mob 
had  retreated,  firing  upon  them  until  his  ammunition  was  exhausted. 
He  was  all  this  while  made  a  target  of  from  the  mob  and  from  houses 
on  the  street,  but  escaped  unharmed.  Officer  Tyler  had  been  under 
fire  at  Bull  Run,  and  brought  the  experience  of  "  shot  and  shell  "  home 
with  him.  His  bravery  was  the  subject  of  laudation  among  the  officers 
and  men  of  his  precinct. 

Eighteenth  Precinct. 

Capt.  John  Cameron,  No.  163  East  Twenty-second  Street.  This 
precinct  is  in  the  heart  of  the  lately  infected  district,  and  the  station- 
house  was  destroyed  by  the  mob.  On  Monday  the  Captain  had  great 
trouble  in  calling  in  his  men,  because  of  the  many  who  had  individual 
interests  to  look  after  in  the  care  of  their  families  and  property,  both, 
from  their  connection,  being  threatened.  Early  in  the  morning  Sergt. 
Vosburgh,  with  a  section  of  men,  was  sent  to  the  riot  at  Forty-sixth 
Street  and  Third  Avenue.  Here,  with  the  overpowering  mob,  they  had 
a  severe  fight,  in  which  officer  Wynne  was  severely  beaten  about  the 
head  and  stabbed  in  the  arm — was  hurt  the  worst  of  any  of  the  force, 
and  was  conveyed  to  the  hospital ;  officer  Larue,  so  injured  as  to  be 
laid  up  for  several  days;    officer  Sanderson  beaten,  and  his  clothes 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  65 

nearly  all  torn  off,  and  others  more  or  less  injured.  The  force,  when  at. 
tacked,  was  on  its  way  to  join  Capt.  Porter,  but  found  it  impossible  to 
do  so ;  after  a  brave  struggle,  they  were  compelled  to  retreat  and  scatter, 
making  their  way  back  to  the  station  as  best  they  could.  In  the  after- 
noon a  number  of  the  force,  under  Sergeant  Banfield,  took  charge  of 
the  Armory  on  Second  Avenue,  until  relieved  by  the  Broadway  Squad. 

At  5.30  P.  M.  Capt.  Cameron  reported  with  force  at  Central  Office, 
Sergeant  Buckman  and  three  men  being  left  at  station.  Remained  at 
headquarters  over  night,  and  on  Tuesday  were  engaged  with  the  com- 
mand under  Inspector  Dilks,  in  the  attack  on  the  mob  at  the  Second 
Avenue  factory,  and  the  storming  of  the  building  filled  with  armed 
rioters.  Subsequently,  the  Captain,  with  his  force,  was  on  the  expedi- 
tion to  the  soap  factory  in  Sixteenth  Street,  which  had  been  threatened, 
and  then,  with  Capt.  Helme's  command,  to  Second  Avenue  and  Twenty- 
second  Street  again,  where  such  severe  fighting  and  such  perils,  as  al- 
ready described,  occurred  and  were  encountered.  At  night,  held  in  re- 
serve at  headquarters. 

On  Wednesday  Sergeant  Vosburgh,  with  the  force,  formed  part  of 
Capt.  Brower's  command,  which  visited  Thirty-second  Street,  near  Sixth 
Avenue,  and  recovered  the  body  of  the  negro  hung  there.  On  the  same 
day  the  force  was  divided — a  portion  ordered  to  report  to  Capt.  Speight, 
Twenty-ninth  Precinct,  and  a  portion  to  Capt.  Hutchings,  Yorkville. 
Capt.  Cameron  remained  at  headquarters,  where  his  services  were  active 
and  valuable.  On  Wednesday  night  Officers  McCort  and  McVay,  of 
this  precinct,  did  guide  duty  for  the  military  on  the  march  through  First 
Avenue,  and  were  in  the  disastrous  conflict  in  which  Col.  Jardine  was 
so  seriously  injured  and  the  military  driven  back. 

On  Thursday,  what  few  of  the  force  remained  at  headquarters  as- 
sisted the  detectives  in  arresting  one  of  the  ringlea'ders  of  the  mobs — the 
notorious  Andrews — in  a  colored  rendezvous  in  East  Eleventh  Street. 
On  Friday  the  force  sent  to  Yorkville  returned,  as  did  those  sent  to 
Capt.  Speight,  and  went  on  guard  duty  in  the  vicinity  of  headquarters. 
On  Saturday  the  force  were  detailed  to  usual  duty  in  their  own  precinct ; 
their  own  quarters  had  been  burned  down,  and  they  found  temporary 
ones  at  the  Central  Office. 

Sergeant  Buckman,  with  three  men,  were  left  in  charge  of  the  station- 
house  on  Monday.  An  immense  mob,  the  accumulations  from  down- 
town and  up  along  the  East  River,  had  passed  and  threatened  it  in  the 
morning,  but  made  no  serious  demonstrations  against  it  that  day.  On 
Tuesday  Sergeant  Burden  relieved  Sergeant  Buckman,  and  about  4| 
o'clock  P.  M.  received  a  visit  from  the  mob ;  with  his  men  he  barricaded 
the  windows  and  doors  as  best  he  could,  and  then  they  made  their  escape 
5 


66  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

through  the  prison  in  the  rear,  having  to  pry  off  the  iron  bars  of  a  win- 
dow, and  into  Twenty-third  Street.  The  mob  soon  after  broke  in  and 
set  fire  to  the  station ;  the  bellringer  on  the  adjacent  tower  struck  the 
alarm  once,  but  was  threatened  with  instant  death  if  he  did  not  cease 
and  abdicate ;  both  of  which  he  very  sensibly  consented  to  do. 

When  the  Broadway  Squad  were  attacked,  and  likely  to  be  over- 
whelmed in  the  gun  factory,  Sergeant  Buckman,  in  citizen's  dress,  made 
his  way  to  the  building,  and,  by  direction  of  Capt.  Cameron,  advised 
their  retreat  from  it,  which  was  successfully  made.  After  the  fight  with 
the  Broadway  Squad  at  this  armory — and  the  record,  when  reached,  will 
show  how  bravely  this  squad  behaved — Capt.  Cameron  sent  a  number 
of  his  men,  in  police  uniform,  with  sedan  chairs,  to  take  charge  of  the 
killed  and  wounded  of  the  rioters.  The  mob  allowed  the  police  to  en- 
ter into  their  very  midst,  offered  them,  on  their  errand  of  mercy,  no 
molestation,  and  three  of  the  misguided  victims  were  taken  by  them  to 
Belle vue  Hospital.  The  Captain  placed  his  faith  for  the  safety  of  his 
men  on  the  "  sedans,"  and  he  was  right.  In  this  fight  some  seven  or 
eight  of  the  rioters,  who,  on  the  mob  gaining  entrance,  had  rushed  up 
stairs,  were  burned  to  death,  their  comrades  having  fired  the  building 
from  below. 

On  returning  from  the  hospital,  to  which  he  had  been  aiding  in 
carrying  one  of  the  rioters,  officer  Grubelstein  was, set  upon  and 
chased  by  a  mob  in  Twenty-fourth  Street ;  he  jumped  over  divers  fences, 
and  reached  Twenty-third  Street — here  again  met,  he  ran  for  Third  Ave- 
nue, thence  to  Twenty-first  street,  and  into  a  lager-bier  saloon,  where  he 
was  for  a  while  secreted ;  came  out  and  was  again  recognized  and  given 
chase  to  ;  managed  to  evade  his  pursuers  and  jump  into  a  cellar,  where 
he  remained  until  dark,  when  he  made  his  way  to  his  home.  He  was 
much  hurt  by  the  pelting  from  stones,  sprained  his  ankle  in  getting  over 
the  fences,  and  was  laid  up  for  several  days.  This  was  his  return  for 
carrying  the  wounded  of  the  mob  to  the  hospital. 

Since  early  Monday  morning  it  was  unsafe  for  a  policeman  to  show 
himself.  While  on  post  Monday,  before  riot  had  developed,  officer  Ar- 
noux  was  attacked  by  a  gang ;  he  managed  to  escape  to  the  station 
minus  hat,  club,  and  portions  of  his  clothing.  The  officers  and  men  of 
this  precinct  lost,  in  the  destruction  of  the  station-house,  from  $3,000  to 
$4,000  in  bedding,  clothing,  and  other  personal  property.  Not  an  article 
was  saved. 

The  record  of  the  Eighteenth  shows  hard  and  constant  duty  and 
much  personal  loss  and  injury.  They  were  in  critical  positions  fre- 
quently, but  were  always  equal  to  them,  and  throughout  contributed 
largely  to  the  honorable  repute  which  the  entire  force  has  made  for  itself. 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  67 


Nineteenth  Precinct. 

Capt.  G.  T.  Porter,  East  Fifty -ninth  Street,  near  Third  Avenue. 
The  riots  commenced  in  this  precinct,  an  excited  crowd  collecting,  about 
9  o'clock  A.  M.,  at  the  Provost  Marshal's  office,  corner  of  Forty-sixth 
Street  and  Third  Avenue.  This  was  soon  swelled  by  arrivals  from  all 
directions,  until  thousands  had  assembled,  many  of  them  armed  with 
clubs  and  other  weapons,  and  all  demonstrative  of  mischief.  Capt.  Por- 
ter repaired  to  the  office,  stationing  a  portion  of  his  force — in  all  sixty 
men — in  front,  and  the  balance  inside  of  the  building.  The  drafting 
commenced  at  10^  A.  M.,  and  was  uninterrupted  for  some  twenty  min- 
utes. Meantime  the  mob  outside,  increased  to  huge  proportions,  were 
feeding  their  excitement  with  threats  and  execrations,  and  suddenly 
turned  their  attention  to  the  Third  Avenue  cars,  one  of  which  was  pass- 
ing down.  The  cry  "  Stop  the  cars  ! "  was  raised,  a  rush  was  made,  the 
drivers  taken  off,  horses  detached,  and  the  passengers  compelled  to  abdi- 
cate, two  of  them  relieved  of  their  watches ;  a  section  of  the  police  went 
to  the  rescue,  and  were  assailed  with  clubs  and  stones,  overpowered  and 
driven  back.  Having  committed  the  first  overt  act  the  mob  became 
frenzied,  and  at  once  made  a  rush  on  to  the  Marshal's  office,  assailing 
the  force  on  the  street,  driving  them  into  the  building,  and  showering 
into  the  windows  stones  and  all  kinds  of  missiles.  To  fight  or  to  keep 
at  bay  the  thousands  was  an  impossibility.  The  Marshal  and  his  clerks, 
with  the  police,  were  driven  back  with  clubs  through  the  building,  and 
escaped  from  the  rear.  In  a  few  moments  the  furniture  was  destroyed, 
piled  up  and  fired,  and  the  building  was  in  flames  so  speedily  that  two 
families  living  up  stairs  barely  escaped  with  their  lives.  The  police 
repaired  to  the  adjoining  buildings  and  attempted  .to  save  the  property 
in  them.  They  were  fiercely  attacked  and  driven  away.  The  firemen 
reached  the  scene,  but  were  prevented  from  doing  anything.  The  Chief 
Engineer  was  present,  and  addressed  the  mob,  urging  them  to  allow  the 
firemen  to  go  to  work.  Meantime  the  fire  had  spread  rapidly,  and  three 
of  a  row  of  brick  buildings  were  in  flames  ;  the  mob  yielded  to  Chief 
Decker's  appeal,  the  companies  went  to  work,  and  the  fourth  house  was 
saved.  It  was  about  this  time  that  the  rioters  made  the  first  serious 
demonstrations  against  the  police.  Hitherto,  in  the  progress  to  arson 
and  pillage,  they  had  driven  them  away,  but  had  not  concentrated  against 
them ;  now  they  massed  on  the  Third  Avenue,  and  made  a  furious  attack 
on  the  force  with  pistols,  clubs,  and  stones.  Very  soon  officer  Cook 
was  knocked  down  and  seriously  injured,  and  several  others  badly  hurt. 
The  aid  sent  to  Capt.  Porter  from  below  could  not  reach  him,  and  were 


68  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

themselves  engaged  with  another  portion  of  the  mob  ;  resistance  against 
the  overwhelming  numbers  was  madness,  and,  after  a  brief  but  gallant 
fight,  the  force  broke  and  fled,  the  mob  masters  of  the  situation.  The 
men  recollected  at  the  station-house,  and,  in  citizens'  dress,  revisited  the 
section  where  they  were  defeated,  and  succeeded  in  bringing  off  those  of 
the  injured  who  had  remained  there.  In  the  evening  the  entire  force 
were  ordered  to  headquarters,  and  with  Sergeant  Copeland's  command 
visited  Clarkson  Street,  for  the  recovery  of  the  body  of  a  colored  man 
murdered  there. 

Tuesday,  a  portion  of  the  Nineteenth,  under  Sergts.  Bumstead  and 
Holmes,  were,  with  Inspector  Dilks'  command,  on  its  expedition  to 
Second  Avenue  and  Twenty-second  Street,  and  were  engaged  in  the 
severe  and  obstinate  fight  there.  Subsequently,  under  Sergts.  Bumstead 
and  Fulmer,  a  portion  revisited  that  vicinity  with  Capt.  Helme's  com- 
mand, and  were  again  participants  in  another  severe  engagement,  and 
were  of  the  storming  party  which  carried  the  building  filled  with  rioters. 
About  daylight  on  Wednesday,  Capt.  Porter  took  his  command,  and 
made  a  tour  through  the  Thirteenth  and  Seventeenth  Wards,  and  later 
they  were  with  force  sent  to  recover  the  body  of  the  colored  man  mur- 
dered at  Seventh  Avenue  and  Thirty-second  Street.  About  noon,  Sergt. 
Bumstead,  with  squad,  made  an  onslaught  upon  a  gang  at  Bleecker  and 
Thompson,  who  were  bent  on  destruction  of  dwellings  thereabouts.  A 
brisk  charge  and  liberal  use  of  the  locusts  sent  them  in  all  directions. 

On  Thursday  the  force  was  returned  to  its  own  precinct,  where  Ser- 
geant Decker  had,  with  two  or  three  men,  been  left  in  command. 

The  Nineteenth  was  the  force  first  attacked  by  the  rioters,  and  they 
were  in  all  the  principal  engagements.  The  officers  and  men  exhibited 
an  alacrity  in  responding  to  calls  upon  them,  and  a  steady  courage 
throughout  which  rendered  them  reliable  and  valuable. 

Twentieth  Precinct. 

Capt.  G.  W.  Walling,  No.  352  West  Thirty-fifth  Street.  Early 
Monday  the  reserve  of  the  Twentieth  were  sent  to  the  Seventh  Avenue 
Arsenal,  where  it  remained  till  noon,  and  in  the  afternoon  Capt.  Wal- 
ling, with  Sergeants  Rooney  and  Carey,  reported  at  headquarters  with 
force.  In  the  evening  made  an  expedition  to  the  Eighth  Ward,  which 
was  found  quiet,  and  thence  reported  to  Inspector  Leonard,  at  the  City 
Hall.  Were  engaged  in  the  scouting  expeditions  sent  out  by  the  In- 
spector, and  in  the  guard  duty  done  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Hall.  Tuesday 
morning  were  returned  to  Central  Office.     From  here  made  an  expedi- 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  69 

tion  to  Pitt  Street,  but  too  late  to  have  a  hand  in  punishing  the  mob, 
the  military,  a  short  time  before,  having  met,  fired  upon  and  killed  a 
number  of  them.  On  return  to  headquarters  this  force  were  sent  to  the 
upper  part  of  the  city,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Twentieth  Ward,  where  the 
mobs  were  reported  as  having  it  all  their  own  way.  Allerton's  Hotel, 
Eleventh  Avenue,  between  Fortieth  and  Forty-first  Street,  had  been 
sacked  and  burned ;  a  body  of  military  had  been  beaten,'  many  of  the 
soldiers  wounded,  and  a  number,  of  their  guns  taken  away.  Hearing  that 
the  Sixth  Avenue  Railroad  stables  were  being  attacked,  Capt.  Walling 
hurried  with  his  force  to  them.  The  report  proved  untrue,  but  he  re- 
ceived information  that  the  rioters  were  in  Forty-seventh  Street,  near 
Fifth  Avenue,  attacking  the  fine  private  residences  there.  Thither  the 
force  went  on  the  double  quick,  coming  with  a  rush  upon  the  mob,  a 
portion  of  which  had  just  forced  an  entrance  into  the  basement  of  Dr. 
Ward's  residence,  while  other  portions  were  at  work  on  other  dwellings. 
The  rioters  ran  on  the  first  charge.  The  force  broke  into  squads  of 
threes  and  fours,  giving  vigorous  chase ;  every  man  with  a  club  or  other 
weapon  who  was  overtaken  was  clubbed  to  the  sidewalk,  and  laid  there. 
The  streets  were  speckled  with  the  carcasses  of  such.  Many  dropped 
their  weapons,  but  did  not  escape  the  penalty  for  carrying  them.  The 
route  was  complete ;  the  punishment  inflicted  severe.  The  sole  purpose 
of  this  mob  was  robbery.  They  were  interrupted  just  as  the  spoils  were 
thought  secure.  Up  to  this  period  they  had  undisputed  sway,  had  been 
doing  an  immense  amount  of  damage,  and  kept  that  entire  section  of  the 
city  in  a  state  of  terror.  The  force  reunited  at  Forty-seventh  Street  and 
Fifth  Avenue.  It  was  here  ascertained  that  when  Capt.  Putnam's  regu- 
lars were  in  that  vicinity,  one  of  them,  who  was  sick,  had  fallen  behind 
and  been  set  upon  by  the  mob ;  he  was  knocked  down,  beaten,  kicked, 
and  then  thrown  senseless  over  a  fence  into  a  lot  on  the  Fifth  Avenue. 
Capt.  Walling  and  his  force  hunted  him  up,  and  he  was  conveyed  to 
Bellevue  Hospital.  The  force  returned  to  the  Twentieth  Precinct  Sta- 
tion-house, where,  matters  looking  threateningly,  on  Ninth  Avenue,  dis- 
patches for  military  aid  were  sent  by  Capt.  Walling.  The  mob  had 
cut  down  the  telegraph  poles  on  Ninth  Avenue  from  Thirty-seventh  to 
Forty-third  Street,  and  had  used  the  wire  in  fastening  wagons  and  carts 
together,  making  barricades  of  them  across  the  avenue  at  Thirty-seventh 
and  Forty -third  Streets,  and  at  the  junctions  of  the  intervening  streets. 
At  6  P.  M.  Capt.  Wesson's  regulars  arrived  at  the  station-house.  Capt. 
Slott  (of  the  Twenty-second  Precinct)  took  command  of  a  body  of  the 
police,  and,  with  the  military  in  the  rear,  marched  to  the  avenue  and 
Thirty-seventh  Street.  Here  the  force  made  an  attempt  to  remove  the 
barricades,  but  were  met  with  a  discharge  of  firearms  and  stones  from 


70  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

the  rioters  beyond.  They  had  to  fall  back ;  the  military  advanced  to 
the  right  and  fired  several  volleys ;  the  mob  retreated,  and  the  police, 
again  advancing,  removed  the  barricade.  Soon  after  they  were  again 
rallied  on  by  the  mob,  and  the  military  again  took  the  right,  loading  and 
firing  as  they  advanced,  the  mob  falling  back,  finally  fleeing,  and  the 
police  removing  each  barricade  as  it  was  reached.  This  work  done  and 
the  force  returned  to  the  station-house,  where  it  was  held  in  reserve.  At 
9  P.  M.  an  attack  was  made  upon  a  gun  and  hardware  store  in  Thirty- 
seventh  Street,  between  Eighth  and  Ninth  Avenues ;  Sergt.  Petty,  with 
a  force,  was  soon  there,  and  soon  had  the  thieves  flying,  save  three  who 
were  left  senseless  on  the  sidewalk.  At  midnight  a  mob  attacked  the 
colored  church  in  Thirtieth  Street,  between  Seventh  and  Eighth  Avenues. 
Capt.  Walling,  with  his  entire  force,  came  upon  them  while  busily  en- 
gaged with  axes  in  the  work  of  destruction ;  they  had  concluded  not  to 
burn  the  church  lest  some  premises  thereabout  occupied  by  their  friends 
would  be  injured ;  so  the  axe  was  brought  into  requisition,  and  right 
actively  being  used.  The  force  charged  upon  the  mob  unexpectedly,  but 
were  met  with  a  discharge  of  guns  and  pistols  from  the  street,  alleys, 
and  doorways.  The  fire  was  returned,  and  the  clubs  resorted  to; 
scores  of  heads  were  cracked,  many  of  the  lawless  were  stretched  at 
length,  and  in  a  few  moments  there  was  not  an  "  upright "  rioter  to  be 
seen. 

This  was  the  last  of  the  more  active  duties  of  the  Twentieth ;  they 
continued  at  the  station-house  doing  scouting  duty,  and  making  some 
expeditions  until  Saturday,  then  resuming  regular  patrol.  The  services 
of  this  force  were  of  the  greatest  value ;  they  were  in  a  badly  infected 
vicinity,  had  hazardous  and  arduous  duty  to  perform,  and  have  made  for 
themselves,  by  their  faithful  and  brave  discharge  of  it,  an  honorable  name 
in  and  out  of  the  department. 

Sergeant  Petty  was  left  in  charge  of  the  station,  and,  just  as  the 
force  on  Monday  evening  was  leaving  for  headquarters,  Superintendent 
Davis,  of  the  Colored  Orphan  Asylum,  led  into  the  station  two  hundred 
and  sixteen  of  the  children,  none  over  twelve  years  of  age,  who  had  escaped 
from  their  home  by  the  rear  as  the  dastardly  and  infamous  mob  forced 
an  entrance  in  front  and  fired  the  building.  These  little  ones  would 
undoubtedly  have  been  assailed  had  they  not  been  hurriedly  guided 
away.  They  were  sadly  terrified  on  reaching  the  station,  but  were  re- 
assured, housed  and  kindly  cared  for  by  Sergeant  Petty  until  sent  to 
the  Island. 

When  the  force  were  returning  to  the  station  from  the  severe  usage 
of  the  thieves  at  Forty-seventh  Street  and  Fifth  Avenue,  sundry  women 
on  Fifth  Avenue,  on  Thirty-fifth  Street,  and  on  Sixth  Avenue,  assailed 
them  as  "  bloody  murderers,"  &c,  &c. 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  71 

On  Wednesday  evening  some  women  visited  the  station,  stating  that 
they  had  soldiers  secreted  in  their  houses,  who  had  thus  escaped  the  fury 
of  the  mob  on  Tuesday,  when  the  military  were  defeated  in  the  vicinity 
of  Allerton's  Hotel.  Capt.  Walling  sent  a  coach,  with  an  officer  in 
citizen's  dress,  and  collected  three,  returning  them  to  the  Arsenal.  The 
coach,  while  on  Fortieth  Street,  was  attacked  by  the  mob,  the  windows 
and  doors  broken  in  with  stones,  but,  with  a  courageous  driver  and  good 
horses,  got  off  without  further,  damage. 

When  the  force  hurried  to  Forty-seventh  Street  and  Fifth  Avenue, 
on  the  mob  about  to  sack  residences  there,  they  met  crowds  of  women 
and  children  with  bags  and  baskets,  waiting  on  Sixth  Avenue,  above 
Forty-sixth  Street,  for  the  word  to  join  in  and  gather  the  plunder.  After 
the  fight  these  women  were  busy  attending  the  wounded. 

On  Thursday  morning  at  2  o'clock,  a  party  of  four  or  five  of  the  force 
discovered  a  gang  which  had  broken  into  a  pawnbroker's  shop  in  Thirty- 
ninth  Street,  near  Eighth  Avenue,  and  were  rifling  it ;  they  had  secured 
a  number  of  guns  and  sabres,  when  this  small  force  made  a  dash  upon 
them,  beat  them  badly,  and  recovered  all  the  property. 

On  Tuesday  afternoon,  Capt.  Walling,  while  alone  and  reconnoiter- 
ing  at  Thirty-fifth  Street  and  Eighth  Avenue,  saw  three  men  staving  in 
the  door  of  Mr.  Heiser's  hardware  store,  Eighth  Avenue,  above  Thirty- 
fifth  Street.  He  ran  up  and  grappled  one  of  them,  and,  dealing  a  pow- 
erful blow  with  his  club,  knocked  him  down ;  an  officer  came  to  his  aid, 
and  disarmed  another,  who,  with  his  companion,  escaped.  The  fellow 
knocked  down  was  got  on  to  his  feet  by  some  friends,  and  helped,  stag- 
gering along,  to  Thirty -sixth  Street,  where  he  fell  senseless ;  he  was 
bundled  into  a  wagon  and  carted  off.  When  the  Captain  made  this 
attack,  a  mob  was  awaiting,  at  the  corner  of  Thirty-sixth  Street,  the 
success  of  their  comrades'  attempt  to  break  open  the  store,  when  they 
would  have  rushed  to  its  pillage. 

Sergeant  Petty  several  times,  during  the  absence  of  the  force,  was 
threatened  with  destruction  of  the  station-house,  but  made  excellent 
preparations  for  a  sturdy  defence,  by  barricading,  &c.  At  one  time  he 
had  over  four  hundred  refugees  under  his  charge,  and  all  were  made 
comfortable,  and  given  an  abundance  to  eat. 

t 

Twenty-first  Precinct. 

Capt.  A.  M.  Palmer,  No.  120  East  Thirty-fifth  Street,  The  Cap- 
tain, with  his  command,  was  in  the  battle  with  the  mob  on  the  morning 
of  Monday,  at  the  Provost  Marshal's  office,  Forty-sixth  street  and  Third 
Avenue.     All  the  forces  engaged,  it  will  be  recollected,  were  repulsed. 


72  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

On  the  return  to  the  station,  the  Captain  went  home,  and,  in  consequence 
of  the  stoppage  of  the  Third  Avenue  cars,  could  not  get  back  again  until 
Tuesday  morning,  when  he  reported  with  his  command  to  the  Central 
Office.  The  force  was  with  Capt.  Petty's  command  on  that  morning  at 
the  disturbance  in  the  vicinity  of  Sixteenth  Street  and  Tenth  Avenue,  and 
the  balance  of  the  day  and  night  on  general  duty  at  the  Central  Office. 
On  Wednesday  morning  they  were  returned  to  their  own  precinct,  and 
in  the  afternoon  the  Captain,  being  sick,  went  home,  and  Sergeant  Brack- 
ets took  command.  The  force  were  kept  in  reserve  in  the  precinct,  por- 
tions being  constantly  on  valuable  scouting  and  picket  duty.  All  that 
night  and  all  Thursday  were  gangs  around,  armed  with  clubs  and  other 
weapons,  threatening  dwellings,  howling,  hooting,  and  terrifying  citizens ; 
the  stores  were  all  closed  and  terror  reigned.  Sergeant  Brackett's  well- 
arranged  plans  of  operating  in  detail,  boldly  seconded  by  his  men,  pre- 
vented any  concentration  or  more  serious  demonstration  during  this 
period.  At  7  P.  M.  Thursday,  officer  Chandler  was  brought  to  the 
station  badly  beaten,  and  was  thence  conveyed  to  the  Bellevue  Hospital. 
He  had  been  attacked  at  Thirty-fourth  Street  and  Second  Avenue  by  a 
gang,  against  which  he  made  manful  fight,  but  uselessly.  During  the 
night  the  Sergeant  and  his  force  continued  on  the  qui  vive,  and  no  out- 
rages occurred.  They  were  in  squads,  here,  there,  everywhere,  and, 
although  in  an  infected  district,  by  their  promptness,  activity  and  intelli- 
gent movements,  frustrated  attempts  at  outrage. 

On  Friday  morning  Sergeant  Brackett  in  command,  with  Sergeant 
Hastings  and  thirty-five  men,  repaired  to  Thirty-ninth  Street  and  Second 
Avenue  ;  the  Seventh  Regiment  was  their  escort ;  the  block  between  Thir- 
ty-ninth and  Fortieth  Streets,  and  the  First  and  Second  Avenues,  were 
surrounded  by  the  military.  This  was  a  thoroughly  riotous  district,  and 
the  police  went  to  work  entering  every  house  and  searching  it  for  goods 
stolen  during  the  riots,  from  the  cellar  to  and  on  the  roof.  Not  a  room, 
a  closet,  a  cubby-hole,  or  a  "  between  beds"  was  missed :  every  nook, 
corner  and  hole  was  investigated  ;  sometimes  the  inmates  were  searched 
with  success  ;  the  explorations  were  continued  in  similar  manner  to  Thir- 
ty-third Street,  each  block  being  surrounded  by  the  military.  At  4  P. 
M.  the  military  were  unfortunately  withdrawn  and  the  search  had  to 
cease.  But  an  immense  amount  of  property  had  been  recovered,  among 
it  a  full  wagon  load  of  fire-arms,  bayonets,  pikes,  &c,  in  all  173  pieces; 
furniture,  groceries,  dry  goods,  &c,  &c,  comprised  the  rest.  Among  con- 
traband articles  taken  were  five  steel-headed  clubs,  villainous  and  mur- 
derous weapons,  which  the  owners  had  prepared  for  their  work  of  murder 
and  robbery.  On  Friday  search  by  squads  was  renewed  and  another 
large  amount  recovered,  among  it  some  $400  worth  of  the  property  of 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  73 

the  slaughtered  Col.  O'Brien,  found  at  a  house  in  E.  Thirty -fourth  Street, 
where  the  thieves  secreted  it.  This  active  work  was  kept  up  for  several 
days,  and  with  constant  success.  Sergeant  Vaughan  with  fourteen  men, 
and  Roundsman  Moore  with  six,  each  in  different  portions  of  the  precinct, 
recovered  thousands  of  dollars'  worth.  The  catalogue  of  the  goods  re- 
taken by  the  Twenty-first  would  make  a  large  volume. 

Although  this  force  had  but  one  encounter  with  the  mob,  their  services 
in  their  precinct  were  invaluable.  They  prevented  many  serious  demon- 
strations, and  in  the  duty  of  recovering  goods  were  zealous  and  unflinching, 
notwithstanding  its  hazardous  and  unpleasant  character.  They  have  saved 
many  thousands  of  dollars,  by  their  efficient  discharge  of  this  duty,  to  the 
treasury. 

Sergeant  Brackett,  on  whom  the  command  devolved,  is  entitled  to 
great  credit  for. the  sagacity  characterizing  his  action  throughout,  while 
his  associate  officers  and  the  men  have  won  a  full  share  of  the  honors  on 
the  record. 

Twenty-second  Precinct. 

Capt.  J.  C.  Slott,  Forty-seventh  Street,  between  Eighth  and  Ninth 
Avenues.  On  Monday  morning  Sergeant  William  M.  Gross  and 
twelve  men  reported  to  Capt.  Porter,  at  the  Marshal's  Office,  Forty- 
sixth  Street  and  Third  Avenue.  Here  was  the  first  serious  demonstra- 
tion of  the  mob,  and  the  first  attack  upon  the  police,  in  which  the  latter 
were  defeated  by  overwhelming  numbers  ;  this  force  returned  soon  after 
noon"  to  the  station.  Capt.  Slott,  with  Sergeants  Aldis,  Potter,  and 
Murphy,  and  the  command,  reported  at  headquarters  in  the  evening, 
from  whence  they  accompanied  Inspector  Carpenter  and  force  to  the 
Park ;  participated  in  the  charge  upon  the  Printing-house  Square  mob, 
and  contributed  to  the  strewing  of  the  ground  with  the  bodies  of  the 
lawless  and  riotous.  Thence  were  on  the  tour  through  the  Fourth 
Ward,  at  the  fight  in  Roosevelt  Street,  and  the  subsequent  skirmishes, 
At  midnight  were  at  headquarters  again,  but  soon  after  sent  to  the  Twen- 
tieth Precinct  Station  to  protect  it  and  its  hundreds  of  refugees.  They 
remained  here  until  Thursday,  when  ordered  to  their  own  precinct. 
Meantime,  however,  they  had  participated  with  the  Twentieth  in  the  ac- 
tive, vigorous  fight  with  the  mob  which,  at  midnight  Tuesday,  were  at- 
tempting to  destroy  the  colored  church  in  Thirtieth  Street,  between 
Seventh  and  Eighth  Avenues.  They  \vent  into  this  under  "  shot  and 
shell,"  but  every  man  with  a  will  and  determination  that  largely  aided 
in  the  speedy  and,  to  the  rioters,  costly  victory.  This  command  was 
also  in  the  storming  of  the  barricades  in  Ninth  Avenue,  from  Thirty- 


74  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

seventh  to  Forty-third  Street.  Capt.  Slott,  of  the  Twenty-second,  was 
in  command  of  the  police  here,  and,  after  a  charge  made  under  a  shower 
of  bricks  and  shot,  only  withdrew  his  men  long  enough  to  let  the  mili- 
tary discharge  a  volley,  when  the  force  pressed  forward  again,  took  and 
removed  them.  So,  nearly  all  the  way  up,  on  approaching  each  barri- 
cade, were  they  under  fire  from  street  or  house-tops,  but  made  a  clean 
sweep  of  all  the  obstructions.  Several  of  the  rioters  were  killed  in  this 
engagement.  The  force  returned  to  the  Twentieth  Station.  In  the  af- 
ternoon of  Wednesday,  Capt.  Slott  made  an  expedition  to  Forty-second 
Street  and  Tenth  Avenue,  clearing  the  coast  there ;  subsequently,  Sergt. 
Alms  was  sent  with  command  to  Twenty-seventh  Street  and  Seventh 
Avenue,  where  rioters  were  rampant,  did  the  work  of  dispersal  thor- 
oughly; on  returning,  when  near  the  arsenal,  was  ordered  by  Gen. 
Sandford  to  take  his  force  and  a  company  of  military,  then  awaiting 
him,  to  Forty-second  Street  and  Tenth  Avenue,  where  the  mob  had 
again  gathered,  and  were  threatening  to  burn  the  residence  of  Mr. 
Campbell.  He  at  once  wheeled,  and  with  the  added  force  of  military, 
hurried  up.  The  force  was,  on  arrival,  greeted  with  shouts  of  defiance, 
and  with  shots  and  missiles  from  doors,  windows,  and  house-tops,  as 
well  as  from  the  street.  He  halted,  and  tried  a  little  moral  suasion, 
begged  of  the  rioters  to  desist  and  to  retire  ;  they  gave  him  no  heed,  and 
the  officer  in  command  of  the  military  made  a  similar  appeal.  The  only 
responses,  save  from  a  few  who  got  out  of  the  way,  were  renewed  yells 
and  volleys.  The  military  then  wheeled  into  sections  on  the  avenue,  one 
facing  up  the  other  down,  the  police  in  the  center,  and  opened  fire.  Men 
were  shot  down  in  the  street,  some  picked  off  from  the  house-tops,  and 
others  from  the  windows,  where  they  had  been  actively  firing.  In  a  few 
moments  the  mob  was  entirely  dispersed,  leaving  their  dead  lying  in  the 
streets  uncared  for.  This  ended  the  "  battle-field "  operation  of  the 
Twenty-second,  who  were  relieved  from  the  Twentieth  Precinct  on 
Thursday,  retiring  to  their  own  on  ordinary  duty.  Capt.  Walling,  of 
the  Twentieth,  speaks  in  eulogistic  terms  of  the  valuable  services  of  this 
command  while  at  his  precinct,  and  the  history  of  their  arduous  and  re- 
sponsible duties,  so  well  performed,  more  than  justify  him.  Every  call 
was  promptly,  cheerfully,  and  bravely  met,  and  more  honor  won  by 
them  for  an  organization  which  is  now  laden  with  honors. 

Twenty-third  Precinct. 

Capt.  Henry  Hutchings,  East  Eighty-sixth  Street,  near  Fifth  Ave- 
nue. The  force  of  this  precinct  were,  on  Monday,  left  without  orders, 
in  consequence  of  the  cutting  of  telegraph  wires,  until  about  6  P.  M., 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  75 

when  a  special  messenger  brought  orders  to  report  at  the  Central  Office. 
Promptly  starting,  they  were  in  time  to  be  with  Inspector  Carpen- 
ter's command  on  its  visit  to  the  mob  in  the  Park  and  Printing-house 
Square,  and  to  join  in  the  compliments  so  liberally  bestowed  upon  the 
heads  of  the  fleeing  rascals.  The  force  were  on  duty  with  the  Inspector 
until  returned  to  headquarters  at  midnight,  and  soon  after  were  ordered, 
under  Sergt.  Copeland,  to  the  recovery  of  the  body  of  the  negro  hung 
in  Clarkson  Street.  This  duty  was  performed  in  a  rain  drenching  every 
man  to  the  skin,  and,  as  they  were  returning  to  headquarters,  the  com- 
mand received  the  information  that  Mr.  Wakeman's  house,  on  Eighty- 
seventh  Street,  opposite  their  station,  had  been  sacked  and  fired,  that 
the  station-house  had  also  been  consumed,  and  every  article  belonging 
to  the  force  stolen  or  burned.  Doorman  Ebling,  who  was  left  in  charge, 
managed  to  save  the  telegraph  instrument,  but  that  was  all.  This  en- 
tailed heavy  loss  upon  officers  and  men. 

Before  they  had  breakfasted  on  Tuesday,  this  force  were  with  Inspect 
tor  Carpenter  on  the  expedition  in  Second  Avenue.  At  Thirty-fifth 
Street  an  assault  was  made  on  the  rear,  and  simultaneously,  with  guns 
and  missiles,  from  the  tops  and  windows  of  a  block  of  tenement  houses 
on  the  avenue.  Here  the  charge  was  ordered  by  Inspector  Carpenter 
upon  the  houses,  and  during  it  fierce  hand-to-hand  fighting  ensued.  A 
portion  of  the  Twenty-third  were  among  the  assaulting  party — the  bal- 
ance being  busily  engaged  with  the  mob  on  the  street.  On  this  occa- 
sion a  large  number  of  the  rioters  were  so  punished  as  never  to  be  able 
again  to  participate  in  similar  scenes ;  they  fought  desperately  when 
finding  themselves  cornered  in  the  houses,  and  the  orders  were  "  no  pris- 
oners." In  the  afternoon  a  portion  of  the  force,  under  Sergeant  Hicks, 
was  ordered  to  Broadway,  by  Commissioner  Acton,  to  employ  or  press 
into  service  for  the  Commissioners  thirty-two  stages.  The  force  secured 
fourteen,  being  all  they  could  find  running.  During  the  night  the  men 
were  repeatedly  called  in  readiness  for  duty,  but  were  not  required. 
On  Wednesday  morning  it  was  thought  necessary  for  the  force  to  return 
to  Yorkville  to  their  own  precinct,  which  they  did,  reaching  it  by  steam- 
boat at  1  P.  M.  On  landing,  arriving  at  Fourth  Avenue  and  Eighty- 
sixth  Street,  they  were  greeted  by  the  citizens  enthusiastically.  The 
mob  had,  for  two  days  and  nights,  been  rioting  there,  unrestrained ;  uni- 
versal alarm  prevailed,  and  neither  lives  nor  property  were  safe.  Where 
the  excesses  would  end  no  one  could  tell,  and  this  opportune  arrival  of 
those  who  would  and  could  protect  them  caused  the  greatest  relief  and 
a  general  joy.  All  was  quiet  in  the  precinct  after  their  arrival ;  active 
patrol  and  scouting  duty  were  performed  during  the  balance  of  the  week. 
A  portion  of  the  force  was  at  once  engaged  in  making  search  for  stolen 


76  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

property,  and  succeeded  in  recovering  a  large  amount — among  it  most 
of  Mr.  Wakeman's  valuable  library.  A  number  of  the  rioters  and 
thieves  were  also  arrested,  while  the  search  was  being  prosecuted. 

During  the  absence  of  the  force  the  rioters  had  sacked  and  burned 
Mr.  Wakeman's  residence,  had  sacked  and  burned  Mr.  Grey's,  and  had 
sacked  the  dwelling  of  Provost-Marshal  Nugent  ;  the  station-house  had 
been  burned,  as  had  the  large  grocery  store  of  Messrs.  Metter  &  Dem- 
arest,  which  was  pillaged  of  a  very  large  amount  of  goods  ere  it  was 
given  to  the  flames.  The  rioters  and  thieves  had  no  opposition  offered 
them  for  the  first  forty-eight  hours,  and  much  money  had  been  obtained 
from  citizens,  on  whom  they  called  and  demanded  certain  amounts  under 
threat  of  destruction  of  their  persons  or  their  property.  All  this  the 
presence  of  the  force  promptly  put  an  end  to. 

While  acting  from  headquarters,  the  Twenty-third  were  prompt,  ac- 
tive, gallant,  and  their  efficiency  was  felt  in  all  the  services  in  which  they 
•were  engaged.  In  what  repute  they  are  held  at  home  is  evidenced  by 
the  cordial  reception  on  their  return,  and  by  the  immediate  fleeing  of  the 
villains  whom  their  absence  had  encouraged  to  acts  of  outrage  and 
plunder. 

Twenty-fourth  Precinct. 

Captain  James  Todd,  Steamboat  No.  1.  The  force  of  this  precinct  con- 
stitute the  Harbor  Police.  On  the  morning  of  Monday  Captain  Todd, 
on  hearing  of  the  riot,  volunteered  his  command  for  service  in  any  way 
useful.  The  first  order  received  was  about  noon,  from  Major-Gen. 
Wool,  to  collect  all  the  military  at  Governor's  Island,  and  bring  them 
to  the  city,  which  was  promptly  obeyed,  and  the  troops  landed  at  North 
Moore  Street  at  2£  P.  M.  In  the  afternoon  special  duties  were  per- 
formed between  the  city  and  the  island ;  arms  and  ammunition  were 
brought  over  for  the  Custom  House,  Sub-Treasury,  and  other  Govern- 
ment buildings ;  others  were  furnished  by  this  force  for  the  defence  of 
the  ram  Bunderberg,  lying  near  Webb's  ship-yard,  and  which  had  been 
threatened  with  destruction  ;  muskets  were  also  brought  for  the  defence 
of  the  buildings  threatened  at  Printing-house  Square.  Patrolman 
Blackwell  performed  a  hazardous  duty  in  the  conveyance  of  the  arms 
from  the  landing  to  their  destination,  but  did  it  with  a  sagacity  which 
prevented  suspicion,  and  prevented  in  every  case  interference.  At  mid- 
night, by  request  of  Col.  O'Brien,  this  force  went  to  Governor's  Island, 
procured  arms  and  ammunition,  and  conveyed  them  to  four  hundred  men 
of  his  command  then  at  Staten  Island  Ferry;  thus  at  4  A.  M.,  armed 
and  equipped,  they  were  enabled  to  be  in  the  city. 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  77 

Tuesday  the  force  started  to  Eiker's  Island  to  bring  down  five  hundred 
of  the  military  from  that  place ;  carried  an  artillery  company  to  Gov- 
ernor's Island,  where  it  was  provided  with  guns  and  ammunition,  and 
thence  to  the  city.  The  balance  of  the  day  and  until  Wednesday  morn- 
ing, constantly  and  rapidly  steaming  from  point  to  point  on  the  river, 
keeping  watchful  eyes  on  all  quarters.  On  Wednesday  morning  large 
bodies  of  police  and  soldiers  were  carried  to  Yorkville  and  to  Harlem ; 
in  the  afternoon  Captain  Wilson  and  his  force  were  conveyed  to  Washing- 
ton Heights.  At  all  these  places  the  appearance  of"  Police  Boat  No.  1," 
with  its  freight,  was  joyously  hailed.  At  10.30  P.  M.,  while  patrolling 
the  river,  the  fire  at  the  Atlantic  Dock  Elevators  was  discovered.  Capt. 
Todd  at  once  ran  his  boat  to  the  spot,  and  commenced  throwing  water 
from  the  engine  on  board  upon  it ;  it  was  of  no  use ;  the  force  fought  the 
fire  until  they  were  driven  off  by  the  heat,  their  own  safety  endangered; 
then  attention  was  turned  to  saving  other  property ;  three  Government 
prizes  loaded  with  cotton  were  in  proximity  to  the  flames ;  the  force, 
speedily  grappled  them  and  towed  them  into  the  bay,  where  they  were 
anchored.  Returning  to  the  scene  of  the  fire,  again  were  in  service  there 
attempting  to  extinguish  it,  until  daylight,  when  offto  Riker's  Island,  from 
whence  more  troops  were  brought  to  the  city.  Thursday  was  occupied, 
by  order  of  General  Sandford,  in  bringing  troops  from  the  islands,  con- 
veying some  four  hundred  colored  refugees — the  orphans  among  them — 
to  Blackwell's  Island ;  carrying  arms  and  ammunition  to  Harlem  for  a  vol- 
unteer corps  there,  and  patrolling  the  river.  On  this  day  this  force 
were  parties  to  the  rescue  of  the  colored  man  beaten  and  thrown  over- 
board at  Pier  No.  4,  North  River ;  the  man  was  taken  on  board  the 
police  boat  and  brought  ashore.  On  Friday  a  large  number  of "  con- 
trabands "  were  taken  to  Blackwell's  Island,  and  active  patrol  duty  per- 
formed. WKe^i  Captain  Todd  took  his  first  and  largest  cargo  of  contra- 
bands on  board,  the  excitement  against  them  being  high,  he  adopted 
every  expedient  to  keep  them  out  of  sight.  They  were  stowed  on  the  boat 
in  most  admirable  style,  and  not  a  "  woolly  head  "  would  have  been  re- 
cognized as  on  board.  How  he  did  it ;  how  he  compressed  so  much  flesh 
and  blood  in  the  limited  space  at  his  disposal,  was  as  much  a  matter  of 
curiosity  to  him  as  to  others. 

While  the  Twenty-fourth  was  not  in  any  of  the  conflicts  of  the  week, 
the  services  of  the  force  were  active,  arduous,  and  wearisome ;  they  were, 
too,  of  the  utmost  value,  especially  in  the  rapid  pouring  of  troops  into 
the  city,  and  in  the  prompt  supplies  of  arms  and  ammunition.  The  saving 
of  the  Government  prizes  at  the  Atlantic  Docks  was  important  service. 
Captain  Todd  and  his  men  have  established  the  great  value  of  this  arm 
of  the  service,  and  the  public  acknowledge  their  obligations  for  services 
so  willingly,  faithfully  performed,  and  so  preservative  of  its  safety. 


78  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

Twenty-fifth  Precinct, 

Captain  Mills,  No.  300  Mulberry  Street.     The  force  of  this  precinct 
is  popularly  known  as  the  "  Broadway  Squad."    The  Captain  was  absent 
on  leave  during  the  Riot  Week,  and  the  command  devolved  on  Sergeant 
Burdick.     At  noon  the  Sergeant,  Roundsmen  Ferris  and  Sherwood, 
with  thirty-two  men,  reported  to  Captain  Cameron,  of  the  Eighteenth, 
and  were  ordered  to  the  care  of  the  gun  factory  at  Twenty-first  Street 
and  Second  Avenue,  with  orders  to  hold  it  at  all  hazards  until  aid  ar- 
rived.    The  men  reached  the  establishment  by  going  singly  or  in  pairs, 
thus  escaping  the  serious  attention  of  the  mob,  which  was  rapidly  gather- 
ing around  it — concentrating  from  all  quarters,  in  gangs  from  the  tens  and 
twenties  to  the  hundreds.     But  thirty -five  officers  and  men  were  in  the 
building.     A  request  was  made  by  the  Sergeant,  of  those  in  charge,  to 
stop   work   and   close   up   the    factory,   but  was   declined    because  of 
the  absence  of  the  proprietors  and  consequent  want  of  orders.     Very 
soon  the  mob  made  demonstrations  by  word  and  act,  but  were  warned 
off  by  Sergeant  Burdick,  who  notified  them  that  any  one  making  an 
assault  would  do  so  at  his  peril.     The  mob  left,  retiring  up  the  avenue, 
but  after  an  absence  of  some  fifteen  minutes,  returned  reinforced  to  thrice 
the  original  number,  and  instantly  surrounded  the  building,  yelling  like 
demons  ;  they  were  armed  with  all  kinds  of  weapons.     The  force  determ- 
ined to  hold  the  building,  and  an  attempt  to  fire  it  was  defeated  ;   each 
of  the  squad  was  armed  with  a  carbine,  furnished  by  the  factory,  and  was 
judiciously  stationed.     But  now  stones  began  to  be  hurled  through  the 
many  and  low  windows ;  the  mob,  constantly  increasing  and  encouraged, 
made  an  assault ;  entrance  was  demanded  and  refused ;  the  squad  kept 
cool  and  determined ;  but  a  sledge-hammer  in  the  hands  of  a  brawny 
rioter  was  at  work  on  the  door ;  the  lower  panel  was  broken  in ;  a  shout 
of  exultation  from  those  around,  and  down  on  his  knees  he  went  and 
crawled  partially  through ;   an  instant  and  well-directed  shot  from  one 
of  the  force  strewed  his  brains  in  all  directions,  and  he  was  hastily 
dragged  back  by  his  friends,  dead.     This  sudden  catastrophe  to  their 
leader  staggered  the  mob,  but  only  temporarily,  for  in  a  few  moments 
the  attack  was  renewed  with  the  greatest  violence ;  the  windows  were 
showered  through  with  stones,  and  shot  came  thick  and  fast.     Sergeant 
Burdick  sent  to  Captain  Cameron,  and  called  for  the  aid  expected ;  the 
Captain  sent  word  that  it  was  impossible  for  his  force  to  reach  them, 
and  that  the  expected  aid  had  not  arrived ;  soon  orders  were  received  to 
save  his  men  and  retreat  from  the  building.     By  this  time  the  thousands 
were  pressing  on  to  success  ;   the  "  Broadway  Squad,"  by  a  determined 
front,  had,  for  four  hours,  held  them  in  check,  but  to  do  so  longer  was  im- 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  19 

possible,  and  to  remain  was  certain  death ;  the  order  was  given  to  retreat. 
There  was  but  one  way  in  which  to  do  so  and  escape  the  infuriated 
crowd ;  neither  to  the  front  or  the  sides  was  it  possible ;  and  the  only 
way  of  safe  exit  was  through  a  smoke  hole  in  the  rear  wall,  about  twelve 
by  eighteen  inches,  and  some  eighteen  feet  from  the  ground ;  this  led  into 
the  yards  from  Twenty-first  Street.      Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost. 
Boxes  were  piled  up  to  reach  the  spot,  and  the  men,  one  at  a  time, 
squeezed  in  and  through,  feet  foremost,  performing  rapid  gymnastic  feats 
outside  in  swinging  to  and  dropping  from  a  gutter-trough  to  the  yard 
below.     Thus  the  entire  force  made  their  escape,  and  the  last  man  was 
only  out  when  the  mob  were  in,  and  the  work  of  pillage  and  arson  com- 
menced.    From  the  yard  into  which  the  men  had  dropped  they  had  to 
climb  over  into  a  stone  yard,  and  through  that  go  on  a  keen  run  to  the 
Eighteenth  Precinct  Station  in  Twenty-second  St.,  reaching  it  unharmed. 
Here  their  stay  was  short ;  the  mob,  enraged  at  the  obstinate  holding  of 
the  factory,  had  got  scent  of  them,  and  would  have  made  short  work  of 
the  station  and  all  in  it.     So  Sergeant  Burdick  sent  the  force  off  singly 
or  in  squads  of  two  and  three  ;   but  about  all  had  to   seek  shelter  under 
kindly  roofs,  and  doff  their  uniforms  ere  they  could  reach  headquarters 
in  safety.     But  they  all  did  reach  the  Central  Office  unharmed,  and  at  5J 
P.  M.   were  sent  on  picket  duty  in  the  vicinity,  which  was  performed 
until  Tuesday  morning.     On  Tuesday  morning  the  force  was  with  In- 
spector Carpenter's  command  in  the  Second  Avenue,  and  were  parties 
to  the  severe  fights  there,  having  a  serviceable  hand  in  the  exemplary 
punishment  meted  out  to  the  rioters.     The  "  Squad  "  had  the  right  of 
the  line,  and    made  the    charge    on    the   liquor   store,   at   Thirty-first 
Street,  from  which  the  rioters  were  firing  and  hurling  stones.     They 
forced  the  doors  and  were  in  and  through  it ;  in  the  course  of  the  clear- 
ing process  that  ensued,  one  man,  who  was  freely  using  his  gun,  and 
fought  savagely,  was  knocked  square  out  of  the  window,  and  was  dead 
before  he  reached  the  ground.     Seven  blows  from  the  locusts  were  his 
portion.     In  the  afternoon  they  were  again  under  Inspector  Carpenter 
in  the  tour  through  Third  Street,  First  Avenue,  and  Houston  Street.    At 
5£  P.  M.,  with  Captain  Bogart's  command,  the  "Broadway  Squad" 
proceeded  to  Twenty -ninth  Street  and  Eighth  Avenue,  where  a  mob  was 
sacking  the  residence  of  Mr.  J.  S.  Gibbons,  No.  19  Lamartine  Place.   The 
force  came  upon  the  rioters,   made  a  bold,  steady  charge,  and  drove 
through  them  to  the  house,  strewing  the  way  with  bodies  as  they  went. 
A  large  number  of  rioters  and  thieves  were  inside  of  the  building,  and 
while  a  portion  of  the  command  went  in,  others  remained  at  the  front,  to 
receive  with  the  locusts  the  villains  driven  out.     It  was  here  that  the 
unfortunate  Dipple,  of  the  Twenty-fifth,   received   the   wound   which 


80  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

caused  his  death.  A  fellow  came  rushing  from  the  house,  laden  with 
plunder,  was  caught  by  Sergeant  Burdick  and  knocked  down ;  he  had 
not  released  his  hold  of  the  thief  ere  a  score  of  bullets  whistled  around 
his  head,  two  of  them  lodging  in  the  body  of  his  prisoner,  and  six  of  the 
police  fell  at  the  discharge.  It  appeared  that  the  military,  who  were 
stationed  a  short  distance  away  from  the  house,  on  seeing  the  rush  of  the 
rioters  from  it,  had  fired  recklessly  and  without  orders,  injuring  more 
friends  than  foes.  Officer  Dipple  was  shot  in  the  leg,  the  ball  shattering 
the  bone,  and  splitting,  part  passed  into  and  up  through  the  marrow ;  he 
was  conveyed  to  the  City  Hospital,  but  the  peculiar  character  of  the  in- 
jury induced  inflammation  of  the  brain,  and  he  died  on  the  following  Sun- 
day. Officer  Hodgson  was  shot  in  the  right  arm,  a  ball  and  three 
buckshot  passing  through  the  fleshy  portions.  Officer  Robinson  received 
a  severe  flesh  wound  in  his  thigh. 

The  work  being  accomplished  here,  the  force  returned  to  headquar- 
ters, where  they  were  held  in  reserve  until  Wednesday  morning,  when 
they  reported  to  Captain  Helme,  Twenty-seventh  Precinct,  remaining 
with  him  until  Thursday  A.  M. ;  returning  to  Central  Office,  they  were 
ordered  to  patrol  Broadway  in  force,  from  Canal  to  Twenty-fifth  Street. 
In  the  evening  dismissed,  and  next  day  on  regular  duty. 

The  "Broadway  Squad"  is  composed  of  the  tallest  men  in  the  force, 
none  being  under  six  feet,  and  most  of  them  over.  They  afforded  good 
targets,  and  how  the  heavier  proportioned  ones  ever  squeezed  out  of  the 
gun  factory,  as  described,  is  as  much  a  mystery  to  them  as  it  undoubt- 
edly is  to  the  reader.  It  shows  what  marvelous  feats  men  can  perform 
when  under  the  propulsive  influence  created  by  the  thousands  of  a  mur- 
derous mob  close  on  to  their  heels.  The  defence  of  the  factory  was  nobly, 
though  uselessly,  attempted,  and  persistently  made  until  orders  from 
headquarters  came  to  withdraw.  The  "  squad "  acted  here,  and  on  all 
occasions  where  true  courage  was  necessary,  as  became  brave  men ;  and 
Sergeant  Burdick  speaks  with  just  pride  of  a  command  of  which  any  man 
might  be  proud.  Popular  as  the  "  Broadway  Squad  "  has  always  been, 
its  efficiency  during  "  Riot  Week  "  has  enhanced  its  reputation. 

The  military,  at  the  defence  of  Gibbons'  house,  made  a  charge  after 
their  unfortunate  Volley,  and  the  man  whom  Sergeant  Burdick  was  hold- 
ing had  two  bayonets  run  through  and  through  him.  Officer  Morris, 
of  the  Twenty-fifth,  was  the  first  to  enter  Gibbons',  and,  meeting  a  rioter, 
broke  his  club  at  the  first  blow,  but  knocked  senseless  his  man.  Rounds- 
men Benson  Sherwood  and  Jerome  H.  Ferris  are  entitled  to  mention 
as  having  been  most  courageous  and  valuable.  They  were  the  associate 
officers  of  Sergeant  Burdick,  and  their  courageous  and  intelligent  ser- 
vices were  largely  instrumental  in  winning  for  the  force  the  proud  name 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  81 

it  has  acquired,  neither  of  them  understand  the  word  "flinch,"  and 
they  were  ever  first  in  duty  and  in  danger.  Both  are  brave,  chivalrous 
men. 

Captain  N.  R.  Mills  was  at  Sangersfield  Center,  Oneida  County. 
So  soon  as  he  heard  of  the  riot  he  telegraphed  to  know  its  proportions, 
and  whether  he  should  return.  After  waiting  for  reply  he  took  the  first 
train  and  came  directly  through,  reporting  at  Central  Office  for  duty  on 
Thursday  evening,  and  took  command  of  his  force.  He  was  off  on  sick 
leave. 

On  Monday  officer  Wells,  of  this  force,  while  on  duty  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  Astor  House,  heard  the  cry  of  "  Nigger,  nigger  !"  and  hastening  to 
Park  Row,  met  a  mob  chasing  a  car  and  endeavoring  to  enter  it.  Sin- 
gle-handed he  kept  them  back,  and  went  in,  finding  a  colored  man,  fright- 
ened nigh  to  death,  and  bleeding  from  a  blow  on  the  head.  When  the 
cars  reached  the  terminus,  opposite  the  Astor  House,  he  took  the  man 
out ;  the  mob  closed  on  him,  but  he  threatened  death  to  the  first  who 
made  an  assault ;  getting  to  the  Astor  House  steps,  with  the  aid  of 
citizens  the  man  was  concealed  from  the  sight  of  his  pursuers  behind  one 
of  the  pillars,  and  the  poor  fellow  was  subsequently  taken  home  by  some 
gentlemen  present.  A  few  minutes  after,  an  Amity  stage  came  down 
with  a  negro  on  the  box  ;  the  mob  caught  sight  of  him,  came  back  and 
attacked  the  omnibus  and  all  inside  and  out  with  stone ;  the  driver  was 
compelled  to  stop,  and  put  the  negro  off.  Officer  Wells  went  to  his 
aid  as  the  rioters  were  about  to  seize  him ;  the  mob  threatened  mur- 
der to  both;  a  citizen  came  to  the  rescue,  drew  a  revolver,  and,  with 
officer  Wells,  kept  the  cowards  at  bay.  They  were  followed  by  the 
mob  down  Barclay  Street  to  Church,  where,  just  as  a  rush  and  overthrow 
was  about  being  made,  a  squad  of  the  Third  Precinct  appeared,  who  rat- 
tled the  skulls  of  the  ruffians  and  sent  them  flying  -in  all  directions. 

Twenty-sixth  Precinct. 

Capt.  Thomas  W.  Thorne,  City  Hall.  Early  on  Monday  thousands 
of  excited  people  were  gathered  in  the  Park  and  Printing-house  Square. 
Incendiary  harangues  were  made,  and  threats  uttered ;  every  colored 
man  met  in  the  vicinity  was  attacked  and  beaten.  Capt.  Thorne  detailed 
five  of  his  force,  in  citizens'  dress,  who  mingled  with  the  different  crowds, 
and  reported  every  fifteen  minutes.  At  5£  o'clock  P.  M.  the  force  with 
Capt.  Warlow's  command  reported  to  headquarters,  and  were  sent 
thence  to  the  First  Precinct,  through  which  tour  was  made.  On  return- 
ing at  dusk,  met  by  citizens  at  the  Post-office,  who  informed  them  of  attack 
on  Tribune  Building.  Started  up  Nassau  Street  at  double-quick,  came 
6 


82  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

on  the  crowd  of  five  or  six  thousand,  the  work  of  destruction  having  been 
commenced,  the  office  entered,  gutted,  and  fired.  Capt.  Thorne  gave  the 
word  to  his  men  to  keep  together.  The  order  to  charge  was  given,  and 
on  they  went,  without  waiting  to  estimate  odds,  the  handful,  with  a  ringing 
cheer,  against  the  thousands ;  the  first  blow  was  received  by  the  Captain, 
a  bludgeon  on  the  head,  knocking  him  back  six  feet ;  down  went  the  man 
who  gave  it  by  the  locust  of  officer  Cowen  ;  on  went  the  men,  dealing 
blows  right  and  left,  desperately  and  with  fearful  effect ;  the  mob,  even 
with  its  proportions,  could  not  stand  the  impetuous  charge ;  they  fought 
a  few  moments,  surged  back,  and  then  again  swung  forward,  as  though  to 
crush  out  the  force ;  it  was  too  late ;  on  and  among  them  were  the  com- 
mand, nearly  every  blow  bringing  to  the  ground  a  rioter  ;  in  one  place, 
six  lay  so  close  as  almost  to  touch  each  other ;  it  was  too  much  for  the 
lawless,  and,  after  hard  and  hand-to-hand  fighting  to  Frankfort  Street, 
they  broke,  fleeing  in  wild  confusion.  That  portion  which  went  up  Chat- 
ham and  Center  Streets  were  closely  followed  for  a  while,  and  severely 
clubbed  by  this  force  ;  that  portion  which  fled  across  the  Park  were  met 
by  Inspector  Carpenter  and  his  men,  and  scores  knocked  down.  No 
mercy  was  shown,  and  over  a  hundred  lay  in  the  square  and  Park,  the 
well-punished  victims  of  their  own  folly  and  crime.  While  the  mob  were 
being  thus  terribly  handled  in  the  street,  some  of  the  force  turned  their 
attention  to  the  Tribune  Building,  fighting  their  way  to  and  entering  it. 
The  fire  had  but  just  been  lighted,  and  was  readily  extinguished.  Officer 
Mc Waters,  on  entering  the  door,  was  assaulted  by  a  burly  ruffian,  armed 
with  a  hay-rung,  who,  by  a  powerful  blow  on  the  shoulder,  knocked  him 
down  ;  instantly  on  his  feet  again,  he  more  than  repaid  on  the  heads  of 
the  rioters  the  blow.  The  building  was  cleared  speedily,  and  not  a  man 
found  in  it  escaped  without  severe  punishment. 

This  good  work  being  in  detail  so  bravely  and  thoroughly  accomplished, 
Capt.  Thorne  ordered  his  force  to  cover  Spruce  Street  and  the  square  at 
Frankfort.  Sergeant  Devoursney  took  command.  What  of  the  crowd 
had  returned  from  Chatham  Street  and  Center  were  pushed  back  to  Frank- 
fort, and  the  space  below  entirely  cleared.  Meantime  rumors  were  con- 
stant of  mobs  accumulating  up-town  to  come  down  and  finish  a  work 
which  had  been  so  disastrously  for  the  rioters  foiled.  About  eleven 
o'clock  the  mob  had  reassembled  above  Frankfort  Street,  though  not  in 
the  old  proportions,  and  were  pressing  sharply  upon  the  police  thrown 
across  the  square.  Sergeant  Devoursney  used  every  argument  to  induce 
them  to  retire,  and  these  failing,  ordered,  "  Now,  men,  go  in  and  give  it 
to  them !"  Go  in  they  did  forthwith,  and,  where  moral  suasion  had  failed, 
the  locusts  succeeded.  It  was  a  quick,  severe  fight,  and  a  number  were 
so  badly  punished  as  to  be  unable  to  get  away.     This  was  the  last  seri- 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  83 

ous  demonstration  in  that  section,  the  determined  action  and  success  of 
the  police  furnishing  a  lesson  which  was  laid  to  heart. 

After  the  attack  at  the  Tribune  those  laying  in  the  street  were  allowed 
to  be  carried  off  by  their  friends  returning  for  them,  and  the  square  looked 
somewhat  like  a  field  of  battle.  In  the  charge  ordered  by  Capt.  Thorne, 
very  many  of  the  loeusts  were  broken  by  the  men  of  this  precinct ;  pretty 
good  evidence  that  when  they  hit  they  meant  to  hurt.  When  the  mob 
was  being  driven  off,  the  writer  of  the  "  Record"  came  very  near  experi- 
encing the  locusts  while  attempting  to  reach  the  Times  Building.  But 
for  the  prompt  recognition  of  officer  Frank  Brown,  of  the  Twenty-sixth 
Precinct,  who  rushed  forward  and  warded  off  three  well- raised  and  well- 
aimed  clubs,  he  would  have  had  a  serious  and  practical  experience  where- 
with to  speak  of  "  locusts."  Sergeant  Devoursney  was  in  the  crowd 
alone  and  edging  his  way  to  the  Tribune  office  just  before  the  mob  broke 
into  it ;  he  had  got  on  to  the  sidewalk,  and  drawing  his  revolver  was 
about  to  shoot  the  man  cheering  on  the  crowd,  and  who  was  also  engaged 
in  breaking  in  the  door ;  several  bold  and  good  citizens  were  there,  en- 
deavoring to  dissuade  the  rioters  from  their  work,  and  they  crowded 
around  the  Sergeant,  one  of  them  seizing  his  arm  and  begging  him  to 
desist,  that  he  would  do  no  good,  would  sacrifice  his  own  life,  besides  ex- 
citing the  crowd  to  a  frenzy ;  heeding  the  wise  advice  he  forced  his  way 
back,  got  to  the  station,  found  Capt.  Thorne  had  been  telegraphed  to, 
hurried  back,  heard  the  cheer  of  the  gallant  force  on  its  charge  from 
Nassau,  went  in  with  his  locust  and  fought  his  way  through  and  to  them, 
joining  in  the  general  fight.  When  it  is  remembered  that  the  Sergeant 
was  in  uniform,  his  conduct  exhibits  the  truest  courage.  Officer  McCord 
was  in  citizen's  dress,  and  going  to  the  assistance  of  his  comrades  was  hit 
and  hurt  by  mistake.  Officer  Gardner  received  a  serious  blow  from  a 
brick  on  the  leg.  An  elderly  gentleman,  who  was  among  those  at  the 
Tribune  office,  attempting  to  dissuade  the  mob,  was  hurt  on  the  head  by 
the  police,  who,  of  course,  were  ignorant  of  his  purpose  in  being  there. 
He  was  taken  to  the  station-house,  had  his  wound  dressed,  and  asked  if 
it  would  leave  a  scar.  On  being  told  it  would,  he  said  he  should  wear  it 
proudly.  The  wounded  who  were  not  carried  off  by  their  friends  were 
conveyed  to  the  Twenty-sixth  Precinct  station-house,  where  Police  Sur- 
geon Kennedy,  with  two  assistants  and  half-a-dozen  attendants,  were 
busily  engaged  in  washing,  bandaging,  sewing  and  strapping.  The  room 
had  all  the  appearance  of  an  army  hospital  after  a  battle — the  floor  cov- 
ered with  blood,  bandages,  lint,  surgical  instruments,  pails  of  bloody 
water,  with  Surgeon  Kennedy,  his  shirt-sleeves  rolled  up,  examining, 
dressing,  and  ordering.  His  cool,  systematic  and  quick  appliances  showed 
him  to  be  master  of  the  situation.    There  were  wounds  of  all  descrip- 


84  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

tions — the  incised,  contused,  lascerated,  punctured,  and  pistol-shot.  All 
were  cared  for,  and  the  Doctor's  kindness  of  heart  glistened  through  the 
cool  exterior  of  the  skillful  surgeon. 

On  Tuesday  morning  this  force,  Sergeant  Devoursney  in  command, 
with  Sergeants  Van  Hagan,  Pell  and  Townsend,  reported  to  Central 
Office,  and,  with  Capt.  Walling's  command,  made  tour  through  Tenth 
and  Thirteenth  Wards  ;  Capt.  Walling's  command  were  heartily  cheered 
at  several  points  on  the  march.  Subsequently,  with  the  force  under  In- 
spector Dilks,  they  were  in  the  engagement  at  Second  Avenue  and  Twen- 
ty-second Street,  where  Capt.  Helme's  command  were  met ;  here  the 
Eighteenth  Precinct  was  detached  to  visit  their  station-house  on  Twenty- 
second  Street,  near  First  Avenue,  and  the  Twenty-sixth  were  ordered  to 
accompany  ;  many  of  the  mob,  which  had  been  dispersed,  had  fled  into 
the  houses  below,  and  the  force  marched  down  under  a  heavy  fire  from 
roofs,  doors,  and  windows  ;  when  about  half  way  they  halted,  but  stood 
firm,  and  Inspector  Dilks  sent  down  the  military  to  their  support ;  taking 
the  right,  they  at  once  commenced  firing,  clearing  house-tops,  windows, 
and  doors,  pouring  in  shot  wherever  a  head  was  shown,  and  thus  pro- 
gressed down  the  street,  clearing  it  also  of  a  reassembled  mob ;  thus  was 
the  march  had  to  the  station-house  and  to  First  Avenue.  It  was  a  severe 
ordeal  for  the  police,  who  had  no  weapons  with  which  they  could  retali- 
ate. On  the  return  from  First  Avenue,  Sergeant  Devoursney  hung  back, 
reconnoitering.  He  was  fired  at  from  a  window,  the  bullet  grazing  his 
head.  An  officer  of  some  other  precinct,  who  had  a  musket,  was  with  the 
Sergeant,  and  he  deliberately  loaded  and  discharged  his  piece,  with  care- 
ful aim,  several  times.  The  subsequent  march  with  Inspector  Dilks  was 
had  and  risks  incurred,  all  the  men  eager  for  the  fray ;  but  with  the 
police  there  was  no  further  collision,  though  they  were,  until  below 
Twenty -first  Street,  pretty  constantly  under  fire.  Soon  after  reaching 
headquarters,  this  precinct,  with  Capt.  Bogart's  command,  visited  the 
Sixteenth  Ward,  thence  to  Mr.  Gibbons'  house,  No.  19  Lamartine 
Place,  which  they  then  found  safe,  and  started  on  return.  From 
here  Sergeant  Devoursney,  with  officer  Gardner,  fell  back  to  recon- 
noiter,  and  were  stoned  by  different  gangs ;  many  women  assured  them 
that  they  "  would  all  be  killed  like  rats  before  they  left  the  ward,"  and 
vituperation  was  constant.  At  Twenty-eighth  Street  and  Eighth  Avenue 
Devoursney  was  informed  that  a  mob,  on  disappearance  of  the  force,  had 
again  speedily  collected  at  Mr.  Gibbons'  house  and  were  sacking  it. 
Promptly  notifying  Capt.  Bogart,  the  force  were  wheeled,  and,  some  mil- 
itary accompanying,  were,  on  the  double-quick,  speedily  at  the  spot.  The 
military  were  held  in  reserve,  the  force,  part  of  it,  rushed  in  the  house,  the 
balance  kept  in  front  and  a  portion  to  the  rear ;  the  caged  plunderers, 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  85 

men,  women,  and  half-grown  children,  were  all  badly  punished  save  the 
last,  who  were  spared  ;  not  one  of  the  men  escaped  ;  those  who  rushed 
out  were  all  loaded  with  spoils,  and  were  met  by  the  police  in  waiting^ 
only  to  go  to  the  ground.  One  rioter  made  a  rush  from  the  door,  pistol 
in  hand,  and  was  caught  and  clubbed  by  officer  Hill  ;  the  fellow  fired, 
the  ball  inflicting  a  serious  wound  in  the  officer's  thigh.  At  this  time  it 
was  that  the  military  most  unaccountably  fired  upon  those  in  front  of  the 
house,  wounding  six  of  the  police — one  since  dead — and  killing  two  riot- 
ers. The  man  who  had  shot  officer  Hill  was  riddled  with  balls.  Officer 
Rice  was  shot  in  the  groin,  and  had  two  slugs  through  the  thigh.  He  had 
been  doing  good  battle.  A  ball  passed  through  the  sleeve  of  Sergeant 
Pell.  One  great,  burly  ruffian,  covered  with  blood,  jumped  down  from 
the  parlor  window.  Officer  Hanifer  met  him,  and  a  fierce,  brief  fight 
ensued,  in  which  the  locust  seemed  to  have  no  effect ;  he  escaped  to  the 
street,  and  there  a  multiplicity  of  them  brought  him  to  the  ground. 
One  woman,  of  goodly  size,  rushed  out  loaded  with  stolen  goods ;  she 
made  fight  like  a  tigress,  seized  an  officer  by  the  throat  and  attempted 
to  strangle  and  bite  him ;  it  was  necessary  to  punish  her  before  she  re- 
leased her  hold  and  spoils.  Many  women  who  were  in  the  house  were 
caught,  and  from  a  rather  respectable  looking  one  was  recovered  shawls 
and  other  articles  stowed  around  her  person ;  one  grim-visaged,  brutal 
looking  fellow  rushed  out  with  a  bundle  of  music  as  his  plunder ;  despite 
the  good  taste  of  the  selection  he  marched  to  the  music  of  the  locusts. 

This  was  a  trying  occasion  for  the  police ;  at  one  time  they  were 
under  two  fires,  one  from  the  military,  and  the  other  from  the  rioters  in 
the  house.  The  unfortunate  Dipple,  of  the  Broadway  Squad,  was  the 
only  one  who  lost  his  life ;  officers  Rice  and  Hill  were  long  unfit  for  duty. 
In  the  ordeal  there  was  no  quivering  or  flinching,  fearful  as  it  was.  At 
the  conclusion  of  this  exciting  affair  an  attempt  was  made  to  close  up  the 
house,  but  as  it  had  been  sacked  of  everything  portable,  and  the  doors 
and  windows  all  smashed  and  useless,  it  was  impossible  to  do  so.  The 
command  returned  to  headquarters  and  were  the  recipients,  from  Com- 
missioner Acton,  of  a  handsome  and  appreciative  speech.  The  Twenty- 
sixth  were  held  in  reserve  at  Central  Office  until  Wednesday  morning, 
when  they  were  returned  to  the  City  Hall,  and  were  in  active  service 
until  Friday,  on  the  various  scouting  expeditions  sent  from  thence  by 
order  of  Inspector  Leonard,  and  on  the  duties  of  guard  and  picket.  On 
Friday  returned  to  station  and  resumed  usual  duty. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  Capt.  Thorne  was  not  with  his  command  on 
Tuesday.  On  the  arrival  of  Inspector  Leonard,  on  Monday  night,  with 
his  large  force  at  City  Hall,  he  appointed  Capt.  Thorne  his  Aid,  in  the 
many   onerous   and    responsible    duties    which   the    protection  of  the 


86  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

lower  part  of  the  City  entailed.  It  was  on  Tuesday  that  constant  vigi- 
lance had  to  be  exercised  to  prevent  the  concentration  of  the  crowds  in 
and  around  the  Park ;  from  an  early  hour  great  excitement  existed  among 
the  rabble  gathering  there,  and,  in  checking  it,  the  police  experienced  the 
utmost  difficulty ;  but  despite  any  and  all  they  succeeded.  During  the 
morning  the  Inspector  and  his  Aid  had  been  responding  to  orders  from 
headquarters,  sending  off  detachments  to  different  sections,  and  by  noon 
they  were  stripped  of  the  entire  command,  and  were  left  with  but  one  door- 
man. On  the  disappearance  of  the  force  the  mob  quickly  concentrated,  and 
made  demonstrations  against  the  station-house.  Inspector  Leonard  at 
once  ordered  it  closed  and  secured,  and,  with  Capt.  Thorne,  hurried  to  the 
Central  Office,  promptly  returning  with  a  sufficient  force  to  again  dis- 
perse the  crowd,  though  not  without  some  trouble  and  hard  knocks.  From 
this  time  until  Friday,  when  Inspector  Leonard  dismissed  his  command, 
Capt.  Thorne  was  constantly  under  his  orders,  and  executed  them  with 
an  intelligence  and  promptitude  which  more  than  justified  the  sagacity  of 
the  Inspector  in  selecting  him. 

Of  the  conduct  of  the  officers  and  men  of  this  force,  from  the  com- 
mencement of  the  disturbances  down  town  to  conclusion  of  the  riots,  but 
little  need  be  said.  The  record  shows  what  they  did,  and  how  officers 
and  men  emulated  each  other  in  fidelity  to  the  public  interests,  and  in  the 
gallantry  with  which  they  defended  them.  Their  duties  were  wearying 
and  almost  unceasing,  yet  performed  at  all  times  with  cheerfulness  and 
alacrity.  The  "  Twenty-sixth"  can  carry  with  honest  pride  their  desig- 
nating number,  and  justly  can  Capt.  Thorne  say,  as  he  does,  "  I  am  proud 
to  sign  myself  their  Captain." 

Twenty-seventh  Precinct. 

Capt.  John  C.  Helme,  No.  1 17  Cedar  Street.  On  -Monday  after- 
noon the  entire  force,  except  Sergt.  Rockwell  and  four  men,  reported  to 
Central  Office.  Sergt.  Barnett,  with  three  sections,  was  with  the  com- 
mand under  Inspector  Carpenter  in  the  fight  with  the  mob  at  Broadway 
and  Amity.  Officer  Doyle  knocked  down  the  standard-bearer,  and  offi- 
cer Thompson  secured  the  Stars  and  Stripes ;  they  were  subsequently 
presented  to  Inspector  Carpenter,  and  were  borne  in  the  center  of  the 
command.  Officer  Rhodes  was  struck  with  a  bar  of  iron  on  the  head ; 
continued  the  fight  and  was  on  duty  until  Wednesday,  participating 
in  the  Twenty-second  Street  battle ;  the  serious  nature  of  the  wound 
compelled  him  to  retire.  In  the  evening  and  until  Tuesday  morning  the 
force  was  in  reserve  at  Central  Office. 

On  Tuesday  morning  Capt.  Helme,  with  his  command,  proceeded  ta 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  87 

the  Mayor's  house,  in  Fifth  Avenue,  which  was  being  attacked  ;  the  mob 
fled  at  the  approach ;  a  pile  of  bricks  near  the  dwelling,  used  in  some 
alterations  and  repairs,  was  removed  by  the  force  to  a  place  where  they 
could  be  of  no  service  to  a  mob,  and  a  pile,  which  the  neighbor  friends 
of  his  Honor  had  placed  on  the  stoop  for  defence,  were  also  removed,  so 
as  to  be  out  of  reach  of  rioters  should  another  attack  be  made.  Soon 
after  Capt.  Helme,  in  command  of  his  own  precinct  and  others,  was 
ordered  to  the  Second  Avenue,  to  recover  arms  stolen  and  stored  in  the 
wire  factory,  corner  of  Twenty-second  Street.  The  "  Twenty-seventh  " 
was  on  the  right ;  on  wheeling  into  the  avenue  from  Twenty-first  Street 
the  order  to  charge  was  given,  and  the  mob  driven  back,  despite  a  des- 
perate resistance ;  some  fifty  were  placed  hors  du  combat,  and  by  the 
time  Twenty-second  Street  was  reached  all  was  clear,  save  the  building, 
which  was  full  of  rioters  stealing  and  distributing  the  guns ;  they 
were  unawares  caught  at  their  work.  Sergeant  Wilson,  with  a  portion 
of  the  command,  was  ordered  to,  and  at  once  did,  rush  in  the  building, 
the  rest  held  in  front ;  it  was  five  stories  high.  On  every  floor  were  the 
ruffians  busy  at  their  work  ;  and  on  every  floor  were  they  met  and  at- 
tacked ;  they  fought  desperately,  but  were  driven  from  rooms  and  hall- 
ways, from  windows  and  roof-top  ;  those  who  were  not  knocked  sense- 
less inside  or  killed  themselves  by  jumping  to  the  ground,  rushed  down 
stairs  and  into  the  street  to  receive  the  welcome  of  the  locusts  there. 
Not  one  man,  it  is  thought,  escaped.  The  rioters  used  in  the  fight  the 
carbines,  clubbing  them,  but  the  unexpected  attack  prevented  any  suc- 
cessful battle ;  those  who  prostrate  encumbered  the  building  were 
dragged  out  and  left  lying  in  the  street  for  their  friends  to  carry  off. 
The  police  then  went  to  work  to  remove  some  one  thousand  guns;  a 
horse  and  wagon  was  pressed  into  the  service,  much  against  the  owner's 
will,  and  the  weapons  loaded  into  it.  The  delay  caused  by  the  work  of 
removing  so  many  muskets  gave  an  opportunity  to  the  rioters  to  reas- 
semble, and  they  did  so,  pouring  in  from  all  quarters  above  and  below 
on  the  avenue,  and  on  Twenty -second  Street.  By  the  time  the  wagon 
was  loaded  and  the  force  in  line,  they  were  completely  surrounded  by  an 
overwhelming  and  infuriated  mob ;  not  a  man  flinched ;  all  felt  their 
critical  situation,  but  were  determined  to  fight  their  way  out.  Just  at 
this  juncture,  when  they  were  showered  with  stone  and  shot,  and  when 
the  mob,  reinforced  by  that  which  had  murdered  Col.  O'Brien,  were 
about  rallying  for  an  attack,  Inspector  Dilks,  with  his  command  of  po- 
lice and  military,  wheeled  into  the  avenue  from  Twenty-first  Street. 
The  appearance  of  the  force  was  hailed  by  Capt.  Helme's  command  with 
the  most  enthusiastic  cheers  ;  the  mob  was  assaulted  in  the  rear,  and, 
staggered  by  the  impetuosity  of  the  charge,  instantly  gave  way.     Capt. 


88  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

Helme's  command  joined  in  the  fight,  and  soon  the  mob  were  driven  in 
all  directions.  The  force  at  once  wheeled  into  line  with  Inspector  Dilks' 
command,  and  accompanied  him,  with  their  spoils,  in  the  subsequent 
march,  incurring  all  the  risks  of  what  was  a  most  hazardous  tour. 

In  the  fight  at  the  wire  factory  the  women  were  very  desperate,  re- 
fusing to  move,  and  throwing  stones  as  well  as  using  clubs  and  other 
weapons.  The  men  were  demoniac,  apparently  insane  with  malignity 
and  fury.  After  the  charge  into  the  building,  officer  Follis  was  assault- 
ed on  the  stairway  by  a  man  armed  with  a  gun  and  a  bar  of  iron  ;  the 
fellow  struck  Follis  on  the  arm,  badly  injuring  him,  but  was  knocked 
senseless  and  disarmed.  On  the  charge  to  Twenty-second  Street,  Rounds- 
man Wetmore  left  the  command  and  singly  chased  the  flyers  down  that 
street,  knocked  down  a  man  who  was  armed  with  a  loaded  pistol,  taking 
it  from  him.  The  Captain  was  at  the  head  of  his  men  in  the  fight,  ask- 
ing no  one  to  go  where  he  was  not  willing  to  lead.  On  reaching  the 
door  of  the  wire  factory,  he  wrenched  a  gun  from  the  hands  of  the  first 
rioter  and  thief  rushing  out,  swung  him  to  the  ground,  where  the  locusts 
of  those  among  whom  he  had  fallen  did  the  rest. 

On  return  to  headquarters  Captain  Helme  left  for  a  personal  inspection 
of  his  precinct.  At  10  P.  M.  Sergeant  Barnett,  who  remained  with  force 
at  Central  Office  (Sergeants  Wilson  and  Peck,  who  had  been  until 
Tuesday  evening  with  the  force,  being  detailed  to  telegraph  duty),  went 
to  Thirty-fourth  Street  and  Lexington  Avenue,  to  recover  the  body  of 
the  murdered  Col.  O'Brien,  but  it  had  been  removed. 

On  Wednesday  afternoon  Capt.  Helme  and  his  command  were  re- 
turned to  their  own  precinct ;  a  great  alarm  existed  in  the  vicinity,  mobs 
had  been  visiting  and  threatening  several  buildings  and  hotels  there- 
abouts. He  succeeded  in  restoring  confidence  and  order.  Scouts  in 
parties  of  four  were  sent  out,  who  reported  as  occasion  required.  A 
number  of  crowds  were  dispersed  during  the  night.  On  Wednesday 
P.  M.  the  command,  under  Sergt.  Barnett,  with  Capt.  Hutching's  com- 
mand, proceeded  to  Yorkville.  Here  patrol  duty  was  performed  during 
balance  of  the  day  and  night.  The  next  and  succeeding  days  Sergeant 
Barnett  occupied  himself  and  his  command  in  visiting  shanties  and  re- 
covering stolen  goods.  The  force  recovered  a  very  large  amount.  They 
remained  in  this  precinct  until  Saturday,  and  then  returned  to  their 
own. 

On  Thursday  morning  word  was  received  that  the  colored  man  who 
had  been  beaten  and  thrown  overboard  from  Pier  No.  4,  North  River, 
was  living  and  under  the  pier.  Officers  Hey,  McClusker,  and  Darrow, 
having  disguised  themselves  as  sailors,  went  down,  hired  a  boat  and 
commenced  a  search.     At  the  pier,  officer  McClusker  stript,  plunged  in 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  89 

and  swam  under  ;  after  a  search  of  full  an  hour  and  a  half  in  the  dark- 
ness, he  found  the  poor  fellow  crouching  on  the  stone-work,  nearly  naked, 
all  blood  and  half  insane ;  he  had  a  large  stone  clutched  in  his  hand  ;  it 
was  a  long  while  before  the  officer  could  convince  him  he  was  a  friend 
and  come  to  rescue  him,  but  finally  succeeded  ;  this  accomplished,  Mc- 
Clusker  swam  out  and  had  the  boat  rowed  under ;  the  alarm  of  the 
negro  was  again  aroused,  and  it  was  almost  by  main  force  that  he  was 
got  into  the  boat.  The  three  manly-hearted  officers  then  rowed  with 
him  to  the  police-boat  No.  1,  near  by,  where  he  was  taken  on  board  and 
kindly  cared  for. 

Saturday  evening  Sergt.  Barnett,  having  returned  from  Yorkville 
with  Roundsman  Eigne y  and  Fourth  Section,  reported  at  the  Central 
Office,  and  next  (Sunday)  morning  went  with  Capt.  Dickson  to  Hastings, 
Dobbs'  Ferry,  Tarrytown,  and  Sing  Sing.  The  particulars  of  this  ex- 
pedition will  be  given  in  the  record  of  the  Twenty-ninth.  They  were 
on  this  expedition  three  days,  and  did  ably  and  cheerfully  all  the  duties 
consequent  upon  it. 

Sergt.  M.  B.  Wilson  was  left  alone  in  the  station  on  the  morning  of 
the  Riot  Week.  A  colored  man  was  brought  in  for  safety,  and  the  station 
was  at  once  the  object  of  the  mob's  attention.  The  Sergeant  closed  and 
barricaded  the  doors,  and  awaited  an  attack.  The  mob  cooled  off  and 
left,  and  the  negro  was  sent  away  in  safety.  Officer  Carroll  was,  while 
reconnoitering  at  Liberty  and  Greenwich  Streets,  twice  knocked  down 
by  a  mob,  but  escaped  without  serious  injury.  When  the  Captain  re- 
turned temporarily  to  his  own  precinct,  on  Tuesday,  he  heard  of  a 
mob  attacking  a  man  who  was  mistaken  for  one  Smith,  the  proprietor  of 
a  drinking  house  in  Greenwich  Street.  The  house  of  this  Smith  had, 
the  night  before,  been  attacked  and  sacked,  and  he  had  shot  a  party  whom 
he  considered  among  those  engaged,  killing  him  on  the  spot,  and  then 
escaped.  The  man  attacked  was  one  of  his  employes.  Capt.  Helme 
and  officer  Carroll  repaired  to  the  scene  and  succeeded  in  rescuing  the 
man,  who  was  quite  severely  injured.  On  Wednesday,  Thursday  and 
Friday  nights,  officers  Carroll,  Hey,  and  McClusker  were  on  scouting 
duty,  in  citizens'  dress,  throughout  the  precinct — a  duty  of  no  little  haz- 
ard, and,  as  they  performed  it,  of  great  value.  Sergeant  Barnett  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  his  officers  and  men',  as  he  did  the  attention  of 
the  Commissioners  and  Superintendents,  during  the  entire  week  of  the 
riots,  by  his  unwearying  activity,  his  indomitable  courage,  and  his  manly, 
intelligent  performance  of  all  duties.  There  was  nothing  required  of 
him  that  was  not  thoroughly  performed.  He  is  literally  a  noble  fellow 
and  excellent  officer.  The  more  such  men  as  Barnett  the  higher 
the  repute  of  the  force. 


90  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

The  services  of  this  force  were  of  an  almost  constant  and  certainly 
arduous  and  hazardous  character.  They  did  faithfully  and  manfully  all 
duties  which  they  were  called  on  to  perform,  and  have  placed  themselves 
in  an  honorable  light  before  the  higher  officers  of  the  Department  and 
the  public. 

Twenty-eighth  Precinct. 

Captain  John  F.  Dickson,  No.  550  Greenwich  Street.  In  the  morn- 
ing of  Monday  Sergeant  Wolfe  and  ten  men  were  ordered  to  report  to 
Captain  Speight,  at  Marshal's  office,  No.  1190  Broadway,  but  finding  the 
office  closed,  and  no  one  to  report  to,  repaired  to  Fortieth  Street  and 
Third  Avenue,  in  which  vicinity  it  was  heard  a  riot  was  raging.  On 
reaching  Third  Avenue  from  Forty-third  Street,  meantime  being  joined 
by  more  police,  a  charge  was  made  on  the  mob,  which,  fighting  desper- 
ately, was  driven  back  to  and  beyond  Forty-sixth  Street,  where  they  broke. 
The  rioters  seemed  seized  with  terror  at  the  determined  character  of 
the  charge,  and  fled  in  all  directions ;  the  entire  force  did  not  exceed  fifty 
— their  opponents  thousands — and  the  punishment  inflicted  was  of  the 
most  severe  character,  the  rioters  laying  thick  as  the  force  advanced ;  the 
force  had  penetrated  to  the  front  of  the  Marshal's  office  at  Forty-sixth 
Street,  which  was  in  flames,  but  received  no  support,  the  police  which 
had  been  on  the  ground  having  been  beaten  off.  The  mob  rallied,  hurled 
themselves  upon  the  Twenty-eighth  and  their  associates,  and  in  a  brief 
time  broke  them,  every  man  looking  out  for  himself ;  stones  and  brick- 
bats and  shot  were  showered  on  them  like  hail,  and,  in  the  close  pursuit, 
clubs  fell' upon  them  with  damaging  effect.  Some  ran  into  dwellings, 
were  secreted,  subsequently  escaping  in  disguise  ;  others  ran  the  gaunt- 
let of  the  guns,  clubs,  and  missiles,  but  all  reported  as  soon  as  possible 
after  the  disaster  to  the  station. 

In  this  battle,  officer  Dapke,  on  the  retreat,  was  seriously  injured,  but 
got  away,  and  was  secreted  in  a  dwelling ;  officer  Holley  had  a  finger 
broken;  officer  Siebert  was  set  upon  by  a  number  of  men,  and  his  arm 
broken ;  officers  Polhamus,  Bryan,  and  Bassford  had  severe  scalp 
wounds ;  officer  Knight  was  badly  injured  in  the  chest,  and  Sergeant 
Wolfe,  who  was  the  last  to  retreat,  had  to  fight  his  way  out,  and  was 
badly  injured  on  the  head.  Officers  Knight  and  Bolman  were  saved  by 
some  women,  who  afforded  them  refuge  in  their  houses,  whence  they 
escaped  in  disguise. 

At  11.40  A.M. Roundsman  Mangles  reported,  with  eleven  men,  to 
Capt.  Porter,  Forty-sixth  Street  and  Third  Avenue  ;  had  been  there  but 
a  short  time  ere  the  mob  made  an  overwhelming  charge,  scattering  the 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  91 

force  in  all  directions.  Capt.  Porter,  unwilling  to  sacrifice  his  men, 
gave  the  order  to  retreat,  and  it  was  wise  that  he  did  so ;  he  saved  many 
valuable  lives.  This  force  of  the  precinct  reported  as  soon  as  possible 
after  the  defeat  to  Capt.  Dickson,  at  the  station. 

In  the  afternoon  Capt.  Dickson,  with  Sergeants  O'Connor  and  Groat, 
reported  at  the  Central  Office.  In  the  evening  they  were  under  the  com- 
mand of  Inspector  Carpenter  in  the  crushing  of  the  mob  in  the  Park, 
and  their  locusts  flew  well  and  effectively.  Sergeant  O'Connor  had  his 
head  badly  cut  here,  and  was  compelled  to  retire  from  duty.  All  through 
the  Fourth  Precinct  were  they  with  the  Inspector,  moving  the  mobs  from 
pillar  to  post,  eventually  dispersing  all  of  them  and  restoring  order  to  a 
section  which  was  alive  with  riot  and  pillage.  On  return  to  Central 
Office,  were  held  in  reserve  until  Tuesday  A.  M.,  when,  at  2  o'clock,  they 
accompanied  Sergeant  Copeland  to  Clarkson  Street,  where  the  body  of 
the  murdered  negro  was  recovered.  Soon  after  ordered  to  the  fire  at  the 
packing-house,  corner  Houston  and  Washington  Streets,  where  they  re- 
mained till  5  A.  M. ;  thence  to  Leroy  Street,  where  Capt.  Dickson  res- 
cued the  negro  who  had  been  knocked  down  by  a  crowd,  and  beaten  on 
the  head  by  a  rioter,  with  a  stone  weighing  twenty  pounds,  until  he  was 
thought  dead.  This  fiend  stood  over  the  poor  fellow  when  he  laid  on  the 
street,  deliberately  lifted  and  brought  down  the  stone  upon  his  head  five 
or  six  times,  gritting  his  teeth,  yelling  his  execrations,  and  reveling  in 
his  cowardly  and  hellish  deed  of  blood.  The  negro,  in  defending  himself 
before  this,  had  knocked  his  murderer  down  several  times.  The  rioter 
had  fled  from  him,  leaving  it  to  a  score  of  others  to  render  him  defenceless, 
and,  when  the  poor  fellow  was  insensible,  he  returned  to  complete  the 
work  of  murder.  Capt.  Dickson  pressed  into  service  a  wagon,  and,  put- 
ting the  sufferer  into  it,  conveyed  him  to  the  hospital.  No  horse  could 
be  had,  and  the  men  turned  in,  drawing  the  wagon.  The  poor  fellow  died 
soon  after,  but  meantime  was  able  to  whisper  his  name — Williams — to 
the  Captain.  '  Three  persons  charged  with  the  murder  have  since  been 
arrested  by  this  force. 

On  Tuesday,  at  10.30  A.  M.,  Capt.  Dickson  and  his  command  were, 
under  Inspector  Dilks,  of  those  who  visited  the  factory  where  stolen  arms 
were  stored  at  Twenty-second  Street  and  Second  Avenue.  The  Twenty- 
eighth  Precinct  had  the  right.  Inspector  Dilks'  command  drove,  it  will 
be  remembered,  after  severe  fighting,  the  mob  before  them,  then  entered, 
and  took  the  well-defended  building,  and  recovered  a  large  number  of 
arms.  It  was  one  of  the  most  severe  fights  of  the  entire  campaign,  and 
thoroughly  tested  the  "  mettle  "  of  the  police.  Sergeant  Groat  had  a 
desperate  encounter  with  a  well-armed,  courageous,  and  muscular  fellow ; 
he  fought  him,  with  reckless  courage,  some  two  hundred  yards  up  the 


92  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

avenue  and  away  from  the  command,  but  succeeded  in  bringing  him  to 
the  ground ;  on  the  running  fight  the  fellow  turned,  and  a  blow  on  the 
back  of  his  head  produced  the  phenomenon  of  a  full  set  of  teeth  flying  out 
of  his  mouth,  and  pirouetting  in  the  air,  falling  some  ten  feet  distant ; 
they  were  evidently  false,  as  was  the  heart  of  the  fellow  wearing  them. 
In  this  battle  not  one  innocent  man  was  punished,  but  the  avenue  was 
literally  strewn  with  the  bodies  of  the  rioters.  Many  were  picked  up 
and  hastily  removed  ;  carried  off,  no  one  knows  and  few  care  where,  and 
others  were  carried  to  their  homes  to  live  or  die,  as  the  nature  of  their 
wounds  permitted. 

So  soon  as  returned  to  Central  Office,  Capt.  Dickson  and  his  com- 
mand were  ordered  to  report  to  Inspector  Leonard,  at  City  Hall,  and 
were  on  guard  in  Printing-house  Square  and  Park,  doing  active  and 
valuable  duty  in  preventing  concentration  of  inflamed  and  inflammatory 
crowds.  They  remained  here  until  Saturday,  Inspector  Leonard  bear- 
ing cheerful  testimony  to  their  vigilance  and  efficiency,  when  they  were 
returned  to  their  own  precinct. 

On  Sunday  morning  this  precinct,  with  others,  Capt.  Dickson  in 
command,  were  detailed  to  visit  the  different  villages  and  towns  up  the 
river  so  far  as  Peekskill.  They  were  accompanied  by  Companies  A  and 
B,  Seventy-fourth  Regiment  New  York  Volunteers,  of  Buffalo,  Lieut. 
Nagle  in  command,  and  were  everywhere  received  with  the  utmost  en- 
thusiasm. Residents  threw  open  their  houses  to  them,  and  volunteered 
every  hospitality.  Capt.  Dickson  in  most  cases  declined,  because  of  the 
numbers  of  his  command,  and  his  hesitancy  in  accepting  hospitalities 
which,  however  well  meant,  might  prove  onerous.  The  force  were  gone 
until  Wednesday,  the  22d,  disembarking  en  route  and  on  return  at  every 
place,  restoring  confidence  and  assuring  the  residents  of  protection  and 
assistance.  Capt.  Dickson  and  his  command  speak  in  glowing  terms  of 
Lieut.  Nagle  and  his  command  of  the  Seventy-fourth  Regiment.  Fresh 
from  the  duties  of  the  war  and  noble  service,  their  time  had  expired  on  Sat- 
urday, but  they  at  once  volunteered  for  the  expedition.  During  it  they  won 
the  admiration  and  respect  of  the  citizens  of  every  place  visited,  by  their 
manly  bearing  and  deportment.  They  co-operated  cordially  with  the 
police,  emulated  them  in  considerate  conduct  at  all  places  visited,  and, 
while  they  proved  themselves  soldiers,  proved  also  that  they  were  gal- 
lant and  chivalrous  gentlemen. 

On  the  return  of  the  force  they  had  but  a  brief  respite,  for,  on  Thurs- 
day, Capt.  Dickson  was  ordered  to  Port  Richmond.  Reaching  there  he 
marched  to  Quarantine ;  thence  to  Vanderbilt's  Landing.  Here  the  riot 
had  occurred  in  which  two  citizens  had  been  killed ;  he  marched  his 
command  through  all  the  infected  section,  meeting  with  none  but  peace- 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1868.  93 

able  demonstrations ;  the  force  during  the  day  had  marched  eleven  miles 
under  a  burning  sun ;  two  were  prostrated  and  carried  back  to  the  boat. 
At  5  P.  M.  the  command  returned  to  New  York.  On  reaching  the  dock 
they  were  met  with  orders  to  go  to  Flushing,  L.  I.,  and  were  joined  by 
Lieut.  Bird  and  company,  Seventh  Regiment,  who  were  in  waiting.  Off 
at  once  they  went,  arriving  at  8-J-  P.  M.,  landed,  marched  through  the 
village,  and,  finding  all  quiet,  returned  to  the  boat.  Here  they  remained 
all  night,  and,  in  the  morning,  after  another  tour  through  the  village, 
returned  to  the  city,  arriving  at  3  P.  M.  Well  fagged  out,  the  force 
marched  to  its  own  precinct. 

No  force  had  more  arduous  and  more  prolonged  duties  than  the 
"  Twenty-eighth,"  and  from  first  to  last  every  call  upon  Capt.  Dickson 
and  his  command  was  obeyed  with  alacrity.  In  every  engagement  to 
which  they  were  parties  they  evinced  the  utmost  courage,  and  their 
escutcheon  is  unstained  by  a  single  unworthy  act.  For  a  week  and  a 
half  they  were  on  constant  duty,  and  have  won  full  honors  by  the  man- 
ner in  which  all  requirements  were  performed.  To  Capt.  Dickson, 
whose  example  and  endurance  encouraged  his  men,  the  greatest  credit  is 
due.  Sergeant  William  Groat  and  detective  Henry  Jay,  during  the 
entire  period  of  service,  were  unwearying,  active,  and  courageous.  Ser- 
geant Van  Deusen  was  left  in  charge  of  the  station.  On  two  occasions  he 
was  threatened  by  the  mob,  but  coolly  prepared  for  them,  and,  with  but 
four  men,  not  only  managed  to  save  the  building,  but  the  refugees  in  it. 
In  the  battle  on  the  Second  Avenue,  under  Inspector  Dilks,  one  of 
this  force  disposed  of  four  of  the  worst  of  the  rioters.  He  went  into  the 
fight  on  his  own  hook.  His  favorite  cry  was,  when  he  brought  a  villain 
down,  "  Hallo  !  Johnny  Roach,  how  are  you  1" 

Twenty-ninth    Precinct. 

Capt.  F.  C.  Speight,  East  Twenty-ninth  Street,  near  Fourth  Avenue. 
Except  when  detailed  in  squads,  the  Twenty-ninth  was  always  under  the 
immediate  command  of  the  Captain.  Saturday,  before  the  riot,  Sergt. 
Van  Orden,  with  fifteen  men,  took  charge  of  the  Seventh  Avenue  Arse- 
nal, remaining  until  Monday  afternoon.  Many  manifestations  were  made 
against  the  building,  but  the  force  determined  to  defend  it  to  the  last. 
Early  on  Monday  Capt.  Speight,  with  twenty  men,  reported  at  the  Mar- 
shal's Office,  No.  1190  Broadway,  where  the  drafting  proceeded  quietly 
until  adjournment  at  noon.  Capt.  Speight  withdrew  his  men  at  4  P.  M. 
having,  during  his  stay,  dispersed  several  crowds,  and  reported  at  Central 
Office.  Ten  minutes  after  he  left,  the  mob  reassembled,  and  the  Mar- 
shal's Office  was  in  flames.      The  entire  block  from  Twenty-eighth  to 


94  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

Twenty-ninth  Street  was  destroyed.  During  the  morning  word  was  re- 
ceived that  Superintendent  Kennedy  had  been  killed,  and  Capt.  Speight, 
without  waiting  for  orders,  sent  off  Sergt.  Young  with  a  force  to  the 
Nineteenth  Ward  to  recover  him  ;  meantime  he  had  been  rescued.  On 
Monday  evening  the  entire  command  was  with  Inspector  Carpenter  in 
the  Park,  and  were  active  participants  in  the  battle  there  with  those  who 
had  attempted  to  fire  the  Tribune  Buildings.  Subsequently  were  with 
Inspector  Carpenter  in  the  tour  through  the  Fourth  Ward  and  in  the 
several  engagements ;  in  this  section  houses  occupied  by  colored  people 
had  been  fired  from  below,  driving  the  inmates  up  stairs,  whose  only 
escape  was  by  jumping  into  the  street ;  some  of  them  were  clinging  to 
window.-sills,  some  to  the  eaves,  and  the  clothes  of  some,  while  thus  sus- 
pended, had  caught  fire.  The  police  did  all  in  their  power  to  rescue 
them,  but  in  many  instances,  for  want  of  ladders,  were  unable  to.  A  num- 
ber were,  in  falling,  seriously  injured,  and  one  killed.  Thence  Captain 
Speight  and  command  were  ordered  to  Inspector  Leonard's  command 
at  City  Hall,  and  were  constantly  on  the  different  expeditions  of  the  night. 
Officer  O'Byrne  was  attacked  in  Chatham  Street,  near  the  Park,  his  club 
wrenched  from  him  and  he  badly  beaten  with  it ;  he  recovered  the  locust, 
fought  his  men,  and  succeeded  in  bringing  one  into  the  Twenty-sixth  Pre- 
cinct station-house,  who  was  in  a  condition  which  required  immediate 
attention  of  the  surgeon.  This  fellow's  name  was  Dermott  ;  he  was 
afterwards  sent  to  the  City  Hospital,  but  escaped  on  Wednesday. 

Tuesday  morning  reported  to  Inspector  Carpenter,  at  Central  Office, 
and  with  his  command  marched  to  Second  Avenue  and  Thirty-fourth 
Street.  Capt.  Speight  and  command  were  on  the  rear,  and  upon  this 
portion  of  the  battalion  an  attack  was  made  on  the  avenue  soon  after 
passing  above  Thirty-fourth  street.  From  the  streets  and  houses  shots 
and  missiles  of  all  kinds  were  poured  thick  and  fast ;  Capt.  Speight  at 
once  faced  the  rear  ranks  about,  and  ordered  a  charge  on  the  mob  closing 
up  from  below.  But  the  men  were  momentarily  staggered  and  bewil- 
dered by  the  sudden  and  desperate  character  of  the  attack  ;  Capt.  Speight 
had  on  giving  the  word  dashed  ahead,  and  was  far  in  advance,  the  target 
for  hundreds,  when  he  was  knocked  down  with  a  brick.  His  fall  recov- 
ered the  men,  and  they  came  on  "with  a  rush.  The  Captain  was  on  his 
feet  ere  they  reached  him,  and  joined  in  an  onslaught  on  the  mob.  The 
clubs  foil  mercilessly,  and  men  fell  under  them.  The  mob  were  beaten 
and  fled.  Meantime  the  fire  from  the  houses  continued.  Inspector  Car- 
penter sent  orders  from  the  front  to  charge,  take,  and  clear  them.  On 
went  the  force  to  the  work.  The  houses  were  stormed  and  entered,  and 
cleared,  from  the  cellar  to  the  roof,  of  every  one  save  women  and  children, 
and  those  whom  Capt.  Speight,  from  a  prior  Captaincy  in  that  vicinity, 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  95 

knew  to  be  peaceable  men.  The  fighting  inside  was  of  the  severest  char- 
acter, the  rioters  well  armed,  and  fighting  for  their  lives.  Few  of  them, 
if  any,  escaped  without  serious  injury.  In  Graham's  liquor  store,  corner 
Thirty-fourth  Street  and  Second  Avenue,  eight  or  ten  rioters  had  fallen 
and  lay  wedged  in  between  the  liquor  casks.  Although  the  houses  were 
filled  with  women  and  children — many  of  the  former  urging  the  men 
on  to  their  riotous  work — not  one  of  either  was  hurt ;  the  children  were 
carried  by  the  officers  out  of  harm's  way.  Roundsman  Roberts  carried 
three  little  ones,  placing  them  in  rooms  where  they  would  be  safe  from 
danger  and  out  of  sight  of  the  painful  scenes. 

Capt.  Speight  in  one  of  the  houses  met  an  old  man  on  the  stairs  :  "  For 
God's  sake,  Captain,  save  my  life  !"  A  rioter  above  aimed  a  blow  at  the 
Captain,  but  it  would  have  struck  the  old  man  had  not  Speight  caught  it 
on  his  own  arm.  He  placed  the  old  gentleman  in  a  place  of  safety,  and 
hurried  up  stairs ;  in  one  room  saw  a  woman  with  her  crinoline  well 
spread  out,  sitting  in  a  corner ;  she  asked  him  to  save  her  child,  and  he 
carried  it  to  another  room  for  safety ;  returning  queried  of  her  what  she 
had  behind  her,  and  compelling  her  to  remove,  a  lusty,  fierce  looking 
fellow,  with  club  in  hand,  was  revealed ;  a  brisk  combat  ensued,  but  the 
rioter  fared  the  worst  and  was  sent  down  stairs  to  the  mercies  of  those 
below.  On  one  floor  a  woman  was  in  the  hall  holding  a  door  to  prevent 
the  man  within  from  getting  out ;  the  Captain  removed  her,  and  from  the 
room  sprang  a  fellow  making  an  onslaught  with  his  club,  but  striking 
wild  in  his  frenzy  ;  soon  down  stairs  he  went,  not  to  return  again.  The 
work  of  clearing  being  complete,  the  force — this  was  the  battle  of  the 
rear  ranks — reformed  and  joined  the  balance  of  the  command.  This  was 
considered  one  of  the  sharpest  engagements  of  the  campaign.  The  force 
engaged  suffered  considerably,  but  it  was  estimated  that  over  thirty  of 
the  rioters  were  seriously  punished. 

After  returning  to  Central  Office,  Capt.  Speight  and  command  re- 
ported to  Inspector  Leonard  at  City  Hall,  where  they  remained  all 
night ;  were  engaged  in  the  different  tours  of  the  Fourth,  Fifth,  and 
Eighth  Wards,  and  in  the  divers  skirmishes  with,  and  dispersal  of,  the 
mobs.  On  Wednesday  morning,  reported  to  the  Central  Office,  from 
whence  they  were  almost  unceasingly  engaged  in  expeditions  and  special 
duties  until  Saturday,  when  ordered  to  their  own  precinct.  This  force 
numbers  thirty  men  more  than  any  other,  and,  consequently,  were  al- 
ways in  demand  and  performed  extra  duty.  "  Fall  in,  Twenty-ninth," 
became  a  by-word,  so  constantly  was  the  order  given. 

Sergeants  Van  Orden  and  Young  were  active  in  the  service.  Ser- 
geant Ward  was  very  ill,  but  reported  himself  before  expiration  of  leave 
for  duty,  and  was  assigned  to  care  of  the  station,  relieving  Sergt.  Jones, 


96  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

who  had  been  ill  for  a  long  while.  The  station-house  was  made  the  hos- 
pital for  policemen  and  others  for  the  upper  portion  of  the  city.  Four- 
teen of  the  Twenty-ninth  had  been  severely  injured,  one  since  dead  and 
two  yet  in  hospital.  The  Captain  also  received  a  severe  injury  on  the 
leg,  from  which  he  will  long  be  a  sufferer.  Surgeon  Griscom  was  un- 
wearying and  skillful  in  his  attentions  to  all  the  injured. 

The  labor  of  this  precinct  was  uninterrupted  for  five  days  and 
nights.  Capt.  Speight  is  a  bold  and  valuable  officer,  a  veteran  in  the 
matter  of  handling  mobs,  and  he  had,  in  the  devotion  to  duty  of  his  men, 
their  bravery  and  willingness  to  respond  to  any  call,  a  force  which  made 
them  of  signal  service. 

Thirtieth  Precinct. 

Capt.  J.  Hartt,  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-first  Street,  Manhattan- 
ville.  On  Monday  the  whole  force  of  this  precinct  was  held  in  reserve, 
and  on  Tuesday  morning  reported  at  Central  Office.  At  noon  were  re- 
turned to  their  own  precinct,  where  disturbances  were  apprehended,  and 
where  numerous  dwellings  had  been  threatened.  Capt.  Hartt,  soon  as 
reaching  his  station,  made  admirable  arrangements  for  preservation  of 
peace  and  property,  so  disposing  his  force  as  to  be  able  to  use  them 
effectively.  After  their  return  there  were  no  violent  demonstrations, 
the  rioters  in  that  section  evidently  not  caring  to  come  into  collision 
with  them.  One  of  the  dwellings  which  had  been  especially  threatened, 
the  Captain,  with  a  force,  took  charge  of,  remaining  there  till  apprehen- 
sions no  longer  existed.  Meantime,  intimations  were  given  that  his  own 
would  be  burned,  but  he  said  that  his  first  duty  was  to  the  public,  and 
that  he  had  not  force  enough  to  spare  any  to  look  after  his  own  interests. 
The  family  of  the  house  he  was  protecting  had  left ;  when  asked  by  a  body 
of  rioters  what  he  intended  to  do,  he  said  he  intended  to  fight,  and  to  give 
the  Coroner,  if  it  was  made  necessary,  more  jobs  in  a  day  than  he  had 
had  in  a  year.  The  determined  conduct  of  the  force  had  the  best  effect 
in  cooling  down  the  riotously  disposed.  Special  protection  was  afforded 
several  dwellings,  beside  the  one  above  referred  to,  and  there  is  no  doubt 
that  but  for  the  return  of  the  force,  this  precinct  would  have  been  the 
scene  of  arson  and  pillage  to  a  great  extent.  Although  the  Thirtieth 
had  no  opportunity  to  participate  in  the  more  active  and  exciting 
scenes  of  the  week,  they  were  of  the  first  importance  in  their  own 
precinct,  and  have  the  acknowledgment  of  the  inhabitants  for  their 
valuable  and  intelligent  services. 

On  Tuesday  night  Sergeant  Blake  was  in  charge  of  the  station- 
house,  with  two  sick  officers ;  a  mob  passed,  but  did  nothing  more  than 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.        .  97 

throw  a  few  stones.  While  the  force  were  away,  on  Tuesday,  two 
men,  armed,  drove  around  notifying  certain  residents — among  them  the 
Captain's  family — to  move  out,  for  on  Wednesday  the  dwellings  would 
be  burned  down.  The  appearance  of  the  force,  as  shown,  however,  put 
a  stop  both  to  threats  and  consummation.  A  few  of  the  riots  in  which 
Capt.  Hartt  has  had  a  schooling,  are  the  'Long-shore,  the  Riot  of  1857, 
and  the  famous  Bone  Riot.  The  experience  gained  in  these  and  others 
would  have  operated  badly  for  the  lawless  had  they  evoked  it. 

Thirty-first  Precinct. 

Capt.  James  Z.  Bogart,  Eighty-sixth  Street,  Bloomingdale  Road. 
On  Monday  a  portion  of  the  force  held  in  reserve  at  their  own  sta- 
tion, and  a  portion  under  the  Captain,  with  Sergts.  Ten  Eyck  and  Bar- 
rett, reported  at  Central  Office,  remained  until  Tuesday  morning,  when 
the  command,  with  others,  under  Inspector  Carpenter,  marched  to 
Second  Avenue  and  Thirty-fourth  Street.  The  fight  and  capture  of  the 
houses  here  by  the  rear  ranks,  of  which  the  Thirty -first  were  one,  has 
been  described  in  the  record  of  the  "  Twenty-ninth."  Capt.  Bogart 
and  his  men  were  in  the  buildings,  and  had  many  a  hand-to-hand  encoun- 
ter, never  flinching  from  their  work,  but  doing  it  manfully — zealously. 
Sergt.  Ten  Eyck  and  officers  Thompson,  Stevenson,  and  Stoddard,  were 
especially  noticeable  during  this  exciting  affair  for  the  courage  they  dis- 
played. Indeed,  the  force,  none  of  them,  evaded  any  hazard,  but  per- 
formed their  duty  vigorously  and  thoroughly,  as  many  of  the  victims 
of  their  locusts  will,  if  they  can  at  all,  regretfully  testify.  This  force 
was  also,  of  course,  under  the  heavy  fire  from  the  houses  and  the  street, 
and  were  a  portion  of  those  assailing  and  beating  the  mob  on  the  ave- 
nue. After  return  to  Central  Office, 'they  were  ordered  to  Inspector 
Dilks'  command,  which,  at  Twenty-second  Street  and  Second  Avenue, 
had  such  a  severe  fight.  Here  the  mob  were  vastly  superior  in  numbers, 
were  well  armed,  and  well  contested  the  charge  made  upon  them.  It 
was  a  close  fight,  the  crowd  falling  back  slowly  at  first,  but  the  persistent 
locusts  were  dropping  upon  them  with  telling  effect,  and  when  they  did 
break,  it  was  in  terror  and  confusion.  Their  wounded  laid  along  the  street, 
and  many  were  promptly  cared  for  by  the  women,  but  the  most  of 
them  were  not  attended  to  or  moved  until  the  force  had  left  the  ground. 

In  the  evening  Capt.  Bogart,  in  charge  of  a  force,  including  his  own 
command,  and  a  body  of  military,  visited  the  Sixteenth  Ward ;  a  crowd 
was  dispersed  from  Mr.  Gibbons'  house  in  Twenty-ninth  Street,  near 
Eighth  Avenue,  the  command  moving  on.  No  sooner  were  they  out  of 
sight  than  the  rioters  rallied,  broke  into  the  house,  having  stoned  the  front 
7 


98  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN"  POLICE 

almost  to  ruin,  and  commenced  sacking  it.  Capt.  Bogart  had  not 
marched  far  ere  he  heard  of  this,  and  at  once  took  his  command  back ;  a 
portion  of  the  rioters  were  caught  in  the  street,  but  a  large  number  in 
the  house.  A  charge  to  the  front  produced  the  speedy  flight  of  the 
rioters  in  the  street,  and  then  a  portion  of  the  force  were  ordered  into  the 
building.  Nearly  everything  that  could  be  carried  had  been  taken  away ; 
closets,  trunks,  and  drawers  had  been  broken  open  and  general  pillage 
had  been  the  order.  Parties  were  at  work  when  the  police  entered  ; 
they  were  caught  in  the  halls,  parlors,  on  the  stairways,  and  in  the  cham- 
bers, each  ladened ;  the  men  thieves  were  shown  no  mercy,  but  received 
their  full  deserts.  In  order  not  to  encumber  the  house  a  number  were 
hauled  Out  to  the  sidewalk.  On  this  occasion  it  was,  when  a  number 
of  police  were  engaged  on  and  about  the  stoop  with  the  thieves  who 
came  rushing  out,  that  the  military  fired  without  orders,  wounding  six 
of  the  police,  one  fatally  and  others  seriously,  and  riddling  one  of  the 
rioters  with  balls ;  subsequently,  some  of  the  military  made  a  charge, 
one  of  the  thieves  being  transfixed  with  bayonets.  The  punishments 
here  were  among  the  most  severe  the  rioters,  in  proportion  to  their 
numbers,  anywhere  received.  Not  much  of  property  was  recovered,  the 
sacking  having  been  done  in  a  remarkably  short  time.  So  soon  as  the 
house  was  broken  into  it  was  literally  filled  with  men  and  boys, 
women  and  girls ;  some  of  the  women  fought  the  police  savagely. 

On  return  to  Central  Office,  the  force  were  in  reserve  until  Wednes- 
day, when  it  returned  to  its  own  precinct  to  meet  emergencies  there, 
doing  special  duty  until  Saturday,  but  without  having  to  suppress  any 
disturbances. 

This  force  were  in  the  two  severe  battles  in  Second  Avenue,  and  in 
the  disastrous  one,  so  far  as  injury  to  the  police  was  concerned,  at 
Mr.  Gibbons'  house.  They  were  well  tested  as  to  courage,  endurance, 
and  discipline,  and  sustained  themselves  bravely,  being  important  auxil- 
iaries in  the  suppression  of  the  riots  and  the  restoration  of  order.  The 
quiet  in  their  own  precinct,  which  was  likely  to  be  disturbed  just  about 
the  time  they  returned,  was  preserved  by  the  judicious  management  of 
Capt.  Bogart  and  the  faithfulness  with  which  all  orders  were  promptly 
and  thoroughly  obeyed. 

Thirty-second  Precinct. 

Capt.  A.  S.  Wilson,  Fort  Washington.  The  Captain  and  his  force  re- 
ported at  Central  Office  on  Tuesday  morning,  with  Sergts.  Huff,  White- 
man,  and  Castle,  coming  down  by  Hudson  River  Railroad ;  were  soon 
after  en  route,  with  Inspector  Dilks'  command,  to  Twenty-second  Street 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  99 

and  Second  Avenue,  where  the  mob  was  driven  off,  the  building  in  which 
stolen  arms  were  secreted  entered,  and  a  general  clubbing  given  to  the 
lawless  outside  and  in  the  building.  The  "  Thirty-second  "  were  active 
and  gallant  in  this  affair,  and  seemed  to  relish  infantry  duty  after  their 
uninterrupted  duty  as  mounted  police.  Eeturning  to  headquarters,  there 
was  but  a  brief  respite  ere  again,  under  Inspector  Dilks,  they  marched  to 
the  same  vicinity,  engaged  in  another  conflict,  where  their  command  was 
again  conspicuous,  and  were  parties  to  another  victory.  It  was  at  this 
time  that  Capt.  Helme's  Qommand  was  being  hemmed  in  from  all  quar- 
ters, and  its  safety,  bravely  as  his  men  would  have  fought,  was  largely 
due  to  the  opportune  arrival  of  Inspector  Dilks.  The  hazardous  return 
march,  and  the  stubborn  persistence  of  the  mob  in  their  assaults,  have 
already  been  fully  described.  On  reaching  headquarters  Capt.  Wilson 
and  his  command  were  sent  through  the  infected  districts  of  the  Eleventh 
and  Seventeenth  Wards,  and  on  return  reported  to  Inspector  Leonard 
at  the  City  Hall ;  from  here,  aside  of  the  day  duties,  were  sent  at  night 
to  the  Western  Hotel,  and  had  a  hand  in  the  dispersion  of  the  mob 
which  had  threatened  it,  several  of  the  parties  being  cracked  on  the  head 
somewhat  severely  ;  thence  to  Cedar  Street,  and  the  Government  Stores ; 
to  the  Twenty-seventh  Precinct,  and  a  march  through  it,  and,  4  A.  M. 
Wednesday,  after  nearly  twenty-four  hours  of  continuous  march,  interrupt- 
ed only  to  give  battle,  returned  to  the  City  Hall,  and  stretching  out  on  the 
marble  floor  the  members  were  allowed  a  brief  rest.  On  Tuesday  night 
the  men  had  a  short  respite,  and  the  Captain  found  them  a  gen- 
uine friend  in  Mr.  Crook,  of  Chatham  Street.  On  hearing  that  they 
had  been  nearly  all  day  without  food,  he  aroused  his  servants,  opened 
his  establishment,  and  had  the  force  brought  in,  furnishing  them  with  an 
excellent,  substantial,  and,  of  course,  most  welcome  repast.  They  re- 
solved him  to  be  a  whole-souled  man. 

On  Wednesday,  at  3  P.  M.,  Capt.  Wilson  and  his  command  were 
ordered  to  the  First  Precinct  Station-house,  and  thence  proceeded  to 
Pier  No.  4,  North  River,  dispersing  a  crowd  there ;  subsequently  the 
vicinity  was  patroled,  and  quiet  entirely  restored.  Soon  after,  in  conse- 
quence of  apprehensions  at  Carmansville,  they  were  ordered  there.  They 
arrived  at  Fort  Washington  by  boat  at  6^  P.  M.  The  Captain  at  once 
took  a  force  and  started  for  Carmansville,  where  a  large  number  of  peo- 
ple were  met,  threatening  mischief.  He  used  "  moral  suasion  "  with 
them  in  preference  to  the  locust,  as  they  did  not  appear  to  be  of  a  very 
vicious  class,  and  they  soon  dispersed.  The  force  were  kept  together 
until  Sunday  A.  M.,  but  had  no  disturbances  to  subdue. 

Sergeant  Flandreau  was  left  in  charge  of  the  station-house,  having 
under  his  command  one  officer,  two  doormen,  and  two  hostlers.    On  Tues- 


100  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

day,  when  the  force  had  left  for  Central  Office,  a  number  of  ladies  and  gen- 
tlemen residing  at  Carmansville,  Fort  Washington,  and  Tubby  Hook,  came 
to  the  station,  and  expressed  their  fears  in  regard  to  the  destruction  of 
their  dwellings  ;  the  gentlemen  offered  their  services.  Sergeant  Flan- 
dreau  allayed  their  apprehensions.  At  night  he  dispatched  Patrolman 
Crosby  and  Doorman  Malone  on  different  reconnoitering  duties,  which 
they  did  most  faithfully.  Fresh  horses  were  constantly  kept  on  hand, 
and  the  few  men  at  his  disposal  were  actively  scouting.  When  not  doing 
this,  they  made  a  bold  front  at  the  station,  demeaning  themselves  as 
though  the  whole  force  were  on  hand,  and  could  be  brought  at  once  into 
service.  During  the  night  a  man  living  in  the  neighborhood,  one  of 
doubtful  character,  repeatedly  reconnoitered  the  station,  and  was  inquisi- 
tive as  to  the  number  of  men  and  the  means  of  defence  and  offence.  He 
received  discreet  answers  and  communicated  them  to  a  gang  ready  for 
arson  and  pillage,  who  thereupon  skedaddled.  On  Wednesday,  during 
the  morning,  the  Sergeant  was  run  down  with  the  terrified  residents  of 
the  vicinity  ;  he  endeavored  to  allay  their  fears,  told  them  how  thoroughly 
the  precinct  had  been  patroled,  but  all  in  vain  so  far  as  a  large  number 
were  concerned,  who  packed  up  their  valuables  and  removed  with  their 
families  to  Westchester  County.  Confident  of  his  own  ability,  with  his 
few  men  and  the  volunteer  force  he  could  raise,  to  preserve  order,  yet 
the  alarm  and  absquatulating  induced  the  Sergeant  to  telegraph  for  Capt. 
Wilson  and  his  force.  Their  return  on  Wednesday  was  the  signal  for  a 
general  jubilation.  They  arrived  just  in  time  to  check  the  crowd  at  Car- 
mansville, above  referred  to. 

This  force,  although  from  the  "  rural  districts,"  were  most  active  in 
duty.  They  performed  an  immense  amount  of  labor,  were  in  some  of 
the  worst  fights  of  the  Riot  Week,  and  exhibited  an  endurance,  fidelity, 
and  courage  which  covers  them  with  credit.  Capt.  Wilson  never  sought 
for  himself  or  men  rest  or  respite  ;  and  every  one  of  the  force,  from  Capt. 
Wilson  down,  were  up  to  every  requirement  promptly  and  cheerfully. 
Sergeant  Flandreau  also  won  honor  by  his  cool,  discreet  course,  while 
left  alone  in  the  precinct,  and  which,  undoubtedly,  prevented  demonstra- 
tions by  the  inhabitants  so  dreaded. 

The  Sanitary  Police, 

The  Sanitary  Police,  Capt.  B.  G.  Lord,  Rooms  Nos.  37  and  38  Cen- 
tral Office,  have  as  their  especial  duties  the  reporting  of  all  nuisances,  ex- 
amination of  tenement  houses,  and  of  unsafe  buildings,  the  care  of  the 
Public  Schools,  but,  more  especially  and  important,  the  examination  of 
steam  boilers  and  the  licensing  of  persons  qualified  to  run  steam-engines. 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  'JULY,'  t&S.      ''  '  T01 

This  last  it  will  be  seen  involves  the  intelligent  and  scientific  examination 
of  parties  applicant,  and,  as  a  consequence,  the  force  is  composed  in  large 
proportion  of  scientific  men.  Their  duties,  although  not  constantly  before 
the  public,  are  of  a  most  responsible  character,  and  have  been  most  com- 
petently performed.  During  "  Riot  Week"  their  ordinary  routine  was 
broken,  and  they  were  most  valuable  aids  in  the  restoration  of  order. 

The  Sanitary  Company  was  called  to  the  Central  Office,  on  Monday 
afternoon,  July  13  ;  in  the  evening,  with  the  force  under  Inspector  Car- 
penter, proceeded  to  Printing-house  Square,  and  also  patroled  through  a 
portion  of  the  Fourth  Ward ;  returning  to  Central  Office,  were  in  reserve 
during  the  balance  of  the  night. 

On  Tuesday  morning  Captain  Lord  and  company  proceeded  to 
Prince  and  Crosby  Streets  and  dispersed  a  large  collection  of  rioters 
assembled  with  the  intention  of  burning  a  colored  church  situated  at  that 
corner.  On  the  return  to  Central  Office,  they  were  ordered  to  the  fac- 
tory at  Twenty-second  Street  and  Second  Avenue.  The  force  sent  on 
this  expedition  (which  was  the  first  attack  made  on  the  rioters  at  that 
point)  numbered  about  two  hundred  regular  policemen,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Inspector  G.  W.  Dilks,  who  led  them  on  through  Twenty-first 
Street ;  on  arriving  at  the  corner  of  Twenty-first  Street  and  Second  Av- 
enue, the  order  of  double-quick  was  given,  when  the  whole  force  charged 
up  to  and  through  the  mob  and  on  the  building ;  forced  the  doors,  and 
found  the  stairs  leading  to  the  upper  floors  filled  with  rioters  armed  with 
carbines,  which  they  used  as  clubs.  A  portion  of  the  command  were 
ordered  to  enter  the  building  and  get  to  the  rear  of  the  rioters,  which  was 
done  after  hard  fighting,  and  as  they  were  driven  out  they  were  com- 
pelled to  run  the  gauntlet  through  the  force  outside,  but  few  escaping. 
Each  one  of  the  command  secured  a  carbine,  and  on  the  order  being  given 
to  fall  in,  they  returned  to  the  Central'  Office.  After  the  return,  the  San- 
itary Qompany  were  again  dispatched  under  command  of  Inspector  Car- 
penter, with  Capt.  Lord  as  aid,  accompanied  by  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  police  and  a  detachment  of  military,  to  patrol  the  Seventeenth  Ward. 
On  their  return  officers  McTaggart  and  Jaquins  were  detailed  to  accom- 
pany a  detachment  of  police,  under  command  of  Capt.  Bogart,  and  a 
company  of  Regulars  under  command  of  Capt.  Franklin.  This  force 
proceeded  in  eleven  stages,  and  the  above-named  officers  were  ordered  to 
take  charge  of  the  drivers,  many  of  whom  had  refused  to  drive  through 
the  crowds  of  rioters.  The  stages  having  stopped  on  the  corner  of  Thir- 
tieth Street  and  Eighth  Avenue,  while  the  militaiy  and  police  proceeded 
down  Twenty-ninth  Street  toward  Tenth  Avenue,  the  officers  left  in  charge 
of  them  were  in  imminent  danger  of  being  attacked ;  but  they  flinched 
not;  and,  on  being  ordered  to  take  the  stages  over  to  the  Fifth  Avenue  and 


ll'l  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

Twenty-ninth  Street  and  await  the  coming  of  the  police  and  military,  they 
started  on  the  perilous  trip  ;  although  attacked  with  stones  and  other  mis- 
siles by  the  mob,  they  succeeded  in  reaching  that  point,  and  were  joined 
by  the  force. 

The  Sanitary  Company  were  held  at  the  Central  Office  until  Wednes- 
day morning,  when  a  portion  of  it,  with  the  entire  force  of  the  Twelfth 
Precinct,  accompanied  by  Capt.  Franklin's  Regulars,  were  ordered  to 
Harlem,  where  there  had  been  riotous  demonstrations  during  the  absence 
of  the  police.  On  Wednesday  night  they  assisted  in  arresting  a  number 
of  rioters  who  had  assembled  to  fire  the  house  of  some  colored  people 
residing  in  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-second  Street.  They  patrol ed  the 
precinct  -through  the  night.  On  Thursday  morning  officer  James  Mont- 
gomery, of  the  Sanitary,  assisted  by  a  portion  of  the  Company  then  at 
Harlem,  arrested  a  party  charged  with  riot,  arson  and  highway  robbery. 
On  the  same  morning  a  portion  of  the  company  arrested,  in  his  place  of 
business,  a  person  accused  of  aiding  and  abetting  the  rioters,  and  inciting 
them  to  burn  the  house  of  Mr.  Edgar  Ketchum,  collector  of  Internal 
Revenue  for  the  Government. 

On  Thursday  night  the  Company,  and  members  of  the  Twelfth  Pre- 
cinct, patroled  the  precinct.  On  Friday  they  proceeded  with  some  pris- 
oners, whom  they  had  assisted  in  arresting  at  Mott  Haven  previously, 
and  took  them  to  Melrose,  where  they  were  committed  to  await  their 
trial.  The  stable  of  Abraham  Brown,  City  Marshal,  on  124th  Street, 
was  fired  on  this  day ;  the  force  was  promptly  on  the  spot  and  the  flames 
speedily  extinguished.  On  Saturday  evening  the  portion  of  the  Sanitary 
Company  at  Harlem  returned  to  the  Central  Office. 

On  Wednesday  afternoon,  after  a  portion  of  his  Company  had  been  or- 
dered to  Harlem,  Capt.  Lord,  with  the  balance  of  the  Sanitary  Company 
and  other  force,  was  ordered  to  take  charge  of  the  Sixteenth  Precinct. 
After  his  arrival,  he  deputized  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  citizens 
as  special  policemen,  who,  with  the  police  under  his  command,  patroled 
the  precinct.  During  the  command  of  Captain  Lord  in  the  Sixteenth 
Precinct,  there  were  several  attempts  at  arson,  which  were  frustrated  by 
the  vigilance  of  the  men,  and  only  one  fire  occurred,  which  was  immedi- 
ately extinguished  by  the  Fire  Department,  aided  by  the  force.  On  Sat- 
urday, after  having  returned  to  the  Central  Office,  and  his  whole  Company 
(the  Sanitary)  being  again  together,  he  was  intrusted  with  the  charge  and 
protection  of  the  Central  Office,  which  duty  the  Company  fulfilled  day 
and  night  until  Monday  the  27th  July.  During  the  guard  of  the  Central 
Office,  officers  Johns,  Van  Orden,  and  McTaggart,  arrested  three  persons 
charged  with  entering  the  house  of  Isaac  Stephens  (colored)  and  beating 
him.     Officer  McTaggart  arrested  a  man  charged  with  assault  on  colored 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  103 

persons.  Officers  Coffee  and  Van  Orden  arrested  three  others  for 
assault  and  battery  on  three  soldiers  stationed  at  the  Central  Office. 

On  Monday,  July  27,  the  Sanitary  Company  returned  to  their  ^regu- 
lar duties.  On  Monday  morning,  July  13,  about  10  A.  M.,  officer  Mc- 
Taggart  was  present  at  the  riot  and  burning  of  the  buildings  on  Third 
Avenue  and  Forty-sixth  Street.  There  saw  Superintendent  Kennedy 
beaten  by  the  mob,  and  assisted  in  his  rescue  from  them.  While  Mr. 
Kennedy  was  being  taken  away,  McTaggart  was  struck  with  a  stone  in 
the  back  of  his  head,  and  also  with  a  club  on  the  shoulder.  He  aided  in 
conveying  the  Superintendent  to  headquarters.  On  Monday  afternoon, 
as  the  same  officer  was  in  an  office  in  West  Thirty-ninth  Street,  he 
heard  one  of  the  persons  present  boast  that  he  had  taken  a  prominent  part 
in  the  mobs'  proceedings  of  the  day,  and  that  they  intended  to  burn 
several  slaughter-houses  and  Allerton's  Hotel.  The  man  also  stated 
that  he  would  put  a  ball  through  Henry  Albohn,  who  has  since  died 
from  the  effects  of  a  pistol-shot  wound.  The  jury  subsequently  con- 
vened at  the  inquest  charged  this  man  with  the  murder  of  Albohn,  and 
he  was  arrested  by  officer  McTaggart,  and  committed  for  trial. 

This  force,  as  will  be  noticed,  performed  miscellaneous  and  prolonged 
duty,  "  fleshed  their  locusts,"  and  encountered  perils  in  common  with 
others  of  the  Department.  Capt.  Lord,  ever  zealous  and  possessing 
moral  courage  which  is  infectious,  incited  his  men,  and  was  emulated 
by  them,  to  a  full  performance  of  duty  and  the  attaining  of  a  most  hon- 
orable name  upon  the  "  Record." 

DRILL-OFFICER  T.  S.  COPELAND. 

Sergeant  T.  S.  Copeland,  whose  services  as  drill-officer  to  the  force 
have  been  of  the  utmost  value,  was  one  of  the  most  efficient  of  the  offi- 
cers during  Riot  W^eek.  His  first  duty  was  organizing  the  command  of 
Inspector  Carpenter,  which,  on  Monday  afternoon,  met  the  mob  at 
Broadway  and  Amity  Street,  and  he  had  the  second  blow  in  what  was  a 
gallant  fight,  and  a  quick  and  complete  victory.  It  was  here  that  the 
police,  by  their  bravery,  extorted  from  the  citizens  gathered  at  the  spot, 
cheer  on  cheer  of  approval — something  unusual  for  the  force  to  hear 
given  them,  but  which  will  be  nothing  novel  hereafter.  This  mob  was 
the  one  which  had  been  doing  so  much  damage  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
city,  and  they  came  down  ladened  with  plunder.  In  the  evening  Sergeant 
Copeland  formed  another  large  command,  which,  under  Inspector 
Carpenter,  marched  to  the  Park,  and  gave  the  rioters  fleeing  from 
Printing-house  Square  a  reception  such  as  they  little  expected,  and 
largely  suffered  from.     The  Sergeant  was  here  also  amongst  the  most 


104  SERVICES  OF  THE   METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

conspicuous  and  foremost.  Thence  he  was  on  the  march  through  the 
Fourth  Ward.  Here  were  witnessed  shocking  scenes ;  the  sacking  of 
housed  occupied  by  negroes,  the  piling  up  and  burning  of  their  furniture, 
the  firing  of  their  dwellings,  and,  in  some  cases,  the  actual  burning 
alive  of  the  inmates.  In  one  instance  a  dwelling  was  fired  where  seven 
negroes  had  taken  refuge ;  they  escaped  by  jumping  from  the  windows,  a 
distance  of  twenty  feet ;  one  broke  his  leg,  another  his  arm,  and  it  was 
only  by  the  prompt  and  decisive  action  of  the  police  that  any  of  them 
escaped  death,  the  mob  standing  ready,  like  so  many  wolves,  to  jump 
upon  them  the  moment  they  reached  the  ground.  In  this  march  the 
various  mobs  were  met  and  dispersed,  the  greater  portion  fleeing  back 
into  their-  dens.  At  midnight  the  force  returned  to  the  Park  in  time  to 
receive  the  large  mob  coming  down  Broadway  to  finish  the  interrupted 
work  at  the  Tribune  Building.  It  was  here  that  Inspector  Carpenter 
■exhibited  strategy  and  generalship,  massing  his  force  at  the  east  side  of 
the  Park,  and,  covered  by  the  darkness,  coolly  awaiting  the  mob  which 
came  on,  singing  "  We'll  hang  old  Greeley  to  a  sour  apple  tree,"  and 
rushed  into  the  grasp  of  the  force  ere  their  presence  was  suspected. 
Exemplary,  sudden,  thorough  was  their  punishment  after  the  force 
sprang  upon  them.  "  Up,  Guards,  and  at  them,"  was  the  word  ;  the  song 
ceased,  and  the  ringing  of  the  locusts  and  cries  for  mercy  of  the  rene- 
gades supplied  its  place.  Here,  too,  was  Sergeant  Copeland  brave 
and  efficient.  Returning  to  headquarters,  but  a  brief  respite  was  had, 
for,  at  2  A.  M.,  Tuesday,  Sergeant  C.  formed  a  battalion  of  100  men,  and 
proceeded  to  Clarkson  Street,  to  recover  the  body  of  the  negro  hung 
there.  It  was  recovered  and  brought  to  the  Central  Office.  On  Tues 
day  the  Sergeant  formed  the  battalion  of  police  which,  under  In- 
spector Carpenter,  visited  Second  Avenue  and  Thirty-fourth  Street, 
where  the  severe  battle,  heretofore  described,  was  had.  The  force  used 
their  revolvers  to  clear  the  tops  of  the  houses  of  their  assailants,  but  ul- 
timately had  to  charge  the  houses,  take  and  "  clean  "  them.  The  rioters 
most  of  them  boldly  met  the  assault,  others  were  found  secreted  in  beds, 
boxes,  closets,  &c,  &c,  but  were  hunted  out,  receiving  lessons  which 
those  of  them  who  can  remember  anything,  are  not  likely  to  forget.  The 
force  returned  to  headquarters  at  noon,  and  during  the  balance  of  the 
day  the  military  knowledge  of  the  Sergeant  was  in  constant  requisition 
in  the  organizing  of  the  different  commands  constantly  being  required 
and  sent  off.  In  the  evening  he  was  with  the  command  which,  under 
Inspector  Carpenter,  marched  to  Brooks  Brothers'  clothing  store,  and 
subsequently  through  the  infected  districts  thereabouts,  dispersing  all 
mobs  and  administering,  on  several  occasions,  severe  punishment ;  thence 
to  the  Fifth  Ward,  where  valuable  service  was  done  and  quiet  restored, 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  105 

and  thence  to  headquarters.  During  the  balance  of  the  week,  until 
Saturday,  Sergeant  Copeland  was  occupied  in  organizing  companies,  as 
they  were  required,  for  special  service. 

In  hastily  giving  a  record  of  the  duties  and  doings  of  this  officer  we 
have  omitted  many  instances  connected  therewith,  but  which  have  been 
given  in  connection  with  the  record  of  divers  precincts.  His  con- 
duct had  elicited  the  hearty  encomiums  of  his  superior  officers,  and 
he  was  not  only  valuable  because  of  his  military  knowledge  and  the 
promptness  and  ability  with  which  he  formed  commands,  but  also  as 
a  cool,  gallant,  and  faithful  officer. 


The  Honorable  Record  would  be  incomplete  without  reference  to  three 
gentlemen — Daniel  B.'  Hasbrouck,  First  Deputy  Clerk  ;  George  Hop- 
craft,  Clerk  to  Superintendent ;  and  Horace  A.  Bliss,  Clerk  to  In- 
spectors. The  two  former,  during  Riot  Week,  were  occupied  day  and 
night,  unceasingly,  in  the  performance  of  varied  duties,  neither  of  them 
making  note  of  hours  or  weariness,  but  lending  their  whole  time  and 
energies  to  the  intelligent  and  valuable  services  they  were  called  upon 
to  perform.  When  the  immense  amount  of  business  centralizing  at  head- 
quarters, and  the  responsible  character  of  what  devolved  on  them  to  do, 
is  remembered,  that  they  were  the  right  men  in  the  right  places  will  be 
promptly  and  cheerfully  conceded.  Mr.  Bliss  was  temporarily  absent 
at  the  burial  of  a  brother,  but  returned  in  time  to  make  available  to  the 
department  the  intelligence  and  energy   which  he  is  so  well  known  to 


Alexander  Stewart,  Messenger  to  the  Inspectors,  was  among  the 
faithful  and  unwearying  during  the  period  of  unceasing  work  and  ex- 
citement. 


The  Brooklyn  Precincts. 

There  are  ten  Precincts  in  Brooklyn.  The  force  is  a  portion  of  the 
the  Metropolitan  Police.  Its  movements  in  this  city  on  the  first  day  of 
the  riots  is  detailed  in  the  Record  of  its  own  Chief  officer,  Inspector  Folk, 
herein  given,  as  are  also  the  valuable  duties  subsequently  performed  in 
Brooklyn.  That  city  owes  its  exemption  to  the  constant  vigilance  of  the 
force,  its  intelligent  and  courageous  action. 


106  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

Conclusion. 

In  concluding  the  "  Honorable  Record  "  of  the  Metropolitan  Police, 
it  can  be  reiterated  that  the  safety  of  the  city,  its  exemption  from  unpre- 
cedented scenes  of  murdei>  arson,  and  pillage  was  first  due  to  the  force.  It 
should  be  borne  in  mind  that  of  the  2,000  men  composing  it,  the  Commis- 
sioners at  no  one  time  could  avail  themselves  of  over  800,  and  on  Mon- 
day of  the  outbreak  of  not  more  than  half  that  number.  The  balance, 
on  reporting  at  headquarters,  were  sent  in  detachments  to  all  sections  of 
the  city ;  and  to  some  precincts  it  was  found  necessary  not  only  to  return 
its  force  but  to  strengthen  them  with  others ;  nor  were  the  800  available 
in  a  body,  for  they  were  being  constantly  sent  off  under  different  com- 
mands to  attack  mobs  in  diverse  sections  of  the  city.  The  largest  num- 
ber in  one  command  was  350. 

It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that,  in  every  engagement  where  the  police  were 
in  force,  they  were  victorious  ;  it  mattered  not  how  many  they  had  to 
meet  or  how  they  had  to  meet  them—  whether  in  the  streets  or  in  houses, 
or  in  both  at  once ;  on  all  occasions  they  were  entirely  successful.  This 
result  is  due  to  what  very  many  citizens  have  considered  an  unnecessary 
regulation  of  the  Department,  and  which  many  of  the  force  have  objected 
to  as  onerous,  annoying  and  useless.  We  refer  to  the  drilling  and  dis- 
ciplining of  the  men,  which  has  been  an  imperative  rule.  Its  wisdom 
and  necessity  received  a  triumphant  confirmation  from  the  very  outset  of 
the  riots ;  for,  in  their  steady  discipline,  prompt  military  movements  and 
obedience  to  command,  was  the  strength  and  safety  of  the  force.  Acting 
together,  moving  as  one  man,  they,  numerically  weak,  overcame  odds 
counting  by  thousands.  This  discipline  is  mainly  due  to  General  James 
Bowen,  who,  as  one  of  the  Commissioners,  early  saw  its  necessity  and 
devoted  himself  to  its  enforcement.  Gen.  Bowen  was  in  New  Orleans 
during  the  riots,  but  has  had  the  gratification  of  hearing  that  what  he 
initiated  has  been  valuably  perfected. 

The  conduct  of  the  force  exceeded  the  expectations  of  Commissioners 
Acton  and  Bergen.  They  did  expect  much  from  them,  but  their  readi- 
ness and  willingness  on  all  occasions  and  at  all  hours,  their  uncomplain- 
ing response  to  every  call,  their  cheerful  endurance  of  fatigue,  and  a  gal- 
lantry which  knew  no  hesitancy,  are  subjects  of  their  enthusiastic  pride 
and  encomiums. 

In  testimony  of  the  invaluable  services  of  the  police  have  been  scores 
of  complimentary  letters  from  prominent  sources.  As  one  of  the  hand- 
somest acknowledgments,  because  from  one  who  had  full  opportunity  of 
judging,  is  the  following  from  Brig.-Gen.  Harvey  Brown.  He  was 
in  command  of  the   military    from  Tuesday   until  Saturday    of   Riot 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  107 

Week.  It  is  a  manly,  frank,  and  generous  acknowledgment  from  a  gallant 
and  accomplished  officer.  The  extract  is  from  a  letter  in  response  to  one 
from  a  large  number  of  prominent  citizens  complimentary  to  the  judg- 
ment and  energy  displayed  and  the  great  services  rendered  by  the  Gen- 
eral during  the  crisis : 

Fort  Hamilton,  August  6,  1863. 

To  Shepherd  Knapp,  George  Opdyhe,  Leonard  W.  Jerome,  Moses  Taylor, 
Esqs.,  and  others : 

Gentlemen  :  I  beg  you  to  accept  my  grateful  thanks  for  the  kind  and 
flattering  letter  with  which  you  have  honored  me. 

The  only  merit  I  can  claim,  in  the  performance  of  the  duty  which 
has  given  me  the  high  distinction  of  your  approbation,  is  that  of  an  honest 
singleness  of  purpose  in  seconding  the  very  able  and  energetic  efforts  of 
the  President  of  the  Metropolitan  Police,  Mr.  Acton,  to  whom,  in  my 
opinion,  more  than  to  any  other  one  man  is  due  the  credit  of  the  early  sup- 
pression of  the  riot. 

I  never  for  a  moment  forgot  that  to  the  police  was  confided  the 
conservation  of  the  peace  of  the  City;  and  that  only  in  conjunction 
with  the  city  authorities,  and  on  their  requisition,  could  the  United 
States  forces  be  lawfully  and  properly  employed  in  suppressing  the  riot, 
and  in  restoring  that  peace  and  good  order  which  had  been  so  lawlessly 
broken.  Acting  in  accordance  with  this  principle,  and  as  aids  to  the  gal- 
lant City  Police,  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  my  command  performed  the 
most  unpleasant  and  arduous  duty,  with  that  prompt  energy  and  fearless 
patriotism  which  may  ever  be  expected  from  the  soldiers  of  the  Republic. 

On  the  week  after  the  riot  the  Board  of  Police  Commissioners  issued 
the  following  Address  to  the  force,  in  which  a  well-earned  tribute  is  paid 
to  the  Military. 

To  the  Metropolitan  Police  Force. 

On  the  morning  of  Monday,  the  13th  inst.,  the  peace  and  good  order 
of  the  city  was  broken  by  a  mob  collected  in  several  quarters  of  the  city, 
for  the  avowed  purpose  of  resisting  the  process  of  drafting  names  to  re- 
cruit the  armies  of  the  Union. 

Vast  crowds  of  men  collected  and  fired  the  offices  where  drafting  was 
in  progress,  beating  and  driving  the  officers  from  duty. 

From  the  beginning,  these  violent  proceedings  were  accompanied  by 
arson,  robbery,  and  murder. 

Private  property,  unofficial  persons  of  all  ages,  sexes,  and  conditions, 
were  indiscriminately  assailed — none  were  spared,  except  those  who  were 
supposed  by  the  mob  to  sympathize  with  their  proceedings. 

Early  in  the  day  the  Superintendent  was  assaulted,  cruelly  beaten, 
robbed  and  disabled  by  the  mob  which  was  engaged  in  burning  the  Pro- 
vost Marshal's  office  in  Third  Avenue,  thus  in  a  manner  disarranging  the 
organization  at  the  Central  Department,  throwing  new,  unwonted,  and 
responsible  duties  upon  the  Board.  • 

At  this  juncture  the  telegraph  wires  of  the  department  were  cut,  and 


108  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

the  movement  of  forces  by  the  railroads  and  stages  violently  interrupted, 
interfering  seriously  with  our  accustomed  means  of  transmitting  orders 
and  concentrating  forces.  , 

The  militia  of  the  city  were  absent  at  the  seat  of  war,  fighting  the  bat- 
tles of  the  nation  against  treason  and  secession,  and  there  was  no  adequate 
force  in  the  city  for  the  first  twelve  hours  to  resist  at  all  points  the  vast 
and  infuriated  mob.  The  police  force  was  not  strong  enough  in  any  pre- 
cinct to  make  head,  unaided,  against  the  overwhelming  force.  No  course 
was  left  but  to  concentrate  the  whole  force  at  the  Central  Department, 
and  thence  send  detachments  able  to  encounter  and  conquer  the  rioters. 
This  course  was  promptly  adopted  on  Monday  morning.  The  military 
were  called  upon  to  act  in  aid  of  the  civil  force  to  subdue  the  treasonable 
mob,  protect  life  and  property,  and  restore  public  order. 

Under  such  adverse  circumstances  you  were  called  upon  to  encounter 
a  mob  of  such  strength  as  have  never  before  been  seen  in  this  country. 
The  force  of  militia  under  General  Sandford,  who  were  called  into  service 
by  the  authority  of  this  Board,  were  concentrated  by  him  at  and  held  the 
Arsenal  in  Seventh  Avenue,  throughout  the  contest.  The  military  forces 
in  command  of  Brevet  Brigadier-General  Harvey  Brown  reported  at  the 
Central  Department,  and  there  General  Brown  established  his  head-quar- 
ters, and  from  there  expeditions,  combined  of  police  and  military  force, 
were  sent  out  that  in  all  cases  conquered,  defeated  or  dispersed  the  mob 
force,  and  subjected  them  to  severe  chastisement.  In  no  instance  did 
these  detachments  from  the  Central  Department,  whether  of  police  alone, 
or  police  and  military  combined,  meet  with  defeat  or  serious  check. 

In  all  cases  they  achieved  prompt  and  decisive  victories.  The  contest 
continued  through  Monday,  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  Thursday,  and  till  11 
o'clock  on  Thursday  night,  like  a  continuous  battle,  when  it  ended  by  a 
total  and  sanguinary  route  of  the  insurgents. 

During  the  whole  of  those  anxious  days  and  nights,  Brig.-Gen.  Brown 
remained  at  the  Central  Department,  ordering  the  movements  of  the  mili- 
tary in  carefully  considered  combinations  with  the  police  force,  and 
throughout  the  struggle,  and  until  its  close,  commanded  the  admiration 
and  gratitude  of  the  Police  Department  and  all  who  witnessed  his  firm 
intelligence  and  soldierly  conduct. 

It  is  understood  that  he  had  at  no  time  under  his  immediate  command 
more  than  three  hundred  troops,  but  they  were  of  the  highest  order,  and 
were  commanded  by  officers  of  courage  and  ability.  They  cordially 
acted  with,  supported,  and  were  supported  by  the  police,  and  victory  in 
every  contest  against  fearful  odds  was  the  result  of  brave  fighting  and 
intelligent  command. 

In  the  judgment  of  this  Board,  the  escape  of  the  city  from  the  power 
of  an  infuriated  mob  is  due  to  the  aid  furnished  the  police  by  Brig.-Gen. 
Brown  and  the  small  military  force  under  his  command.  No  one  can 
doubt,  who  saw  him  as  we  did,  that  during  those  anxious  and  eventful 
days  and  nights  Brig.-Gen.  Harvey  Brown  was  equal  to  the  situation, 
and  was  the  right  man  in  the  right  place. 

We  avail  ourselves  of  this  occasion  to  tender  to  him  in  the  most  earnest 
and  public  manner  the  thanks  of  the  department  and  our  own. 

To  the  soldiers  under  his  command  we  are  grateful  as  to  brave  men 
who  periled  all  to  save  the  city  from  a  reign  of  terror.     To  Captains  Put- 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  10£ 

nam,  Franklin  and  Shelly,  Lieut.  Ryer  and  Lieut.-Col.  Berens,  officers 
of  corps  under  the  command  of  Brig.-Gen.  Brown,  we  are  especially  in- 
debted, and  we  only  discharge  a  duty  when  we  commend  them  to  their 
superiors  in  rank  and  to  the  War  Department  for  their  courageous  and 
effective  service. 

Of  the  Inspectors,  Captains,  and  Sergeants  of  police  who  led  parties  in 
the  fearful  contest,  we  are  proud  to  say  that  none  faltered  or  failed.  Each 
was  equal  to  the  hour  and  the  emergency.  Not  one  failed  to  overcome 
the  danger,  however  imminent,  or  to  defeat  the  enemy,  however  numer- 
ous. Especial  commendation  is'  due  to  Drill-Sergeant  Copeland  for  his 
most  valuable  aid  in  commanding  the  movements  of  larger  detachments 
of  the  police. 

The  patrolmen  who  were  on  duty  fought  through  the  numerous  and 
fierce  conflicts  with  the  steady  courage  of  veteran  soldiers,  and  have  won, 
as  they  deserve,  the  highest  commendations  from  the  public  and  from 
this  Board.  In  their  ranks  there  was  neither  faltering  nor  straggling. 
Devotion  to  duty  and  courage  in  the  performance  of  it  were  universal. 

The  public  and  the  department  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  the'  citizens 
who  voluntarily  became  special  patrolmen,  some  three  thousand  of  whom, 
for  several  days  and  nights,  did  regular  patrolman's  duty  with  great  effect. 

In  the  name  of  the  public  and  of  the  department  in  which  they  were 
volunteers  we  thank  them. 

Mr.  Crowley,  the  Superintendent  of  the  police  telegraph,  and  the 
attaches  of  his  department,  by  untiring  and  sleepless  vigilance  in  trans- 
mitting information  by  telegraph  unceasingly  through  more  than  ten 
days  and  nights,  have  more  than  sustained  the  high  reputation  they  have 
always  possessed. 

Through  all  these  bloody  contests,  through  all  the  wearing  fatigue  and 
wasting  labor,  you  have  demeaned  yourselves  like  worthy  members  of 
the  Metropolitan  Police. 

The  public  judgment  will  commend  and  reward  you.  A  kind  Provi- 
dence has  permitted  you  to  escape  with  less  casualties  than  could  have 
been  expected.  You  have  lost  one  comrade,  whom  you  have  buried  with 
honor.  Your  wounded  will,  it  is  hoped,  all  recover,  to  join  you  and  share 
your  honors.  It  is  hoped  that  the  severe,  but  just,  chastisement  which 
has  been  inflicted  upon  those  guilty  of  riot,  pillage,  arson  and  murder,  will 
deter  further  attempts  of  that  character.  But  if,  arising  out  of  political 
or  other  causes,  there  should  be  another  attempt  to  interrupt  public  order, 
we  shall  call  on  you  again  to  crush  its  authors,  confident  that  you  will 
respond  like  brave  men,  as  you  ever  have,  to  the  calls  of  duty  ;  and  in 
future,  whenever  the  attempt  may  be  made,  you  will  have  to  aid  you  large 
forces  of  military,  ably  commanded,  and  thus  be  enabled  to  crush  in  the 
bud  any  attempted  riot  or  revolution. 

To  General  Canby,  who,  on  the  morning  of  Friday,  the  17th  inst.,  took 
command  of  the  military,  relieving  Brig.-Gen.  Brown,  and  to  Gen.  Dix, 
who  succeeded  Gen.  Wool,  the  public  are  indebted  for  prompt,  vigorous 
and  willing  aid  to  the  police  force  in  all  the  expeditions  which  have  been 
called  for  since  they  assumed  their  commands.  Charged  particularly  with 
the  protection  of  the  immense  amount  of  Federal  property  and  interests 
in  the  Metropolitan  district,  and  the  police  force  charged  with  the  main- 
tenance of  public  order,  the  duties  of  the  two  forces  are  always  coincident. 


110  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

Whatever  menaces  or  disturbs  one  equally  menaces  and  disturbs  the 
other. 

We  are  happy  to  know  that  at  all  times  the  several  authorities  have 
co-operated  with  that  concert  and  harmony  which  is  necessary  to  secure 
vigor  and  efficiency  in  action. 

Sergeant  Young  of  the  detective  force,  aided  by  Mr.  Newcomb  and 
other  special  patrolmen,  rendered  most  effective  service  in  arranging  the 
commissary  supplies  for  the  large  number  of  police,  military,  special 
patrolmen,  and  destitute  colored  refugees,  whose  subsistence  was  thrown 
unexpectedly  on  the  department.  The  duty  was  arduous  and  responsible, 
and  was  performed  with  vigor  and  fidelity.  All  the  clerks  of  the  depart- 
ment, each  in  his  sphere,  performed  a  manly  share  of  the  heavy  duties 
growing  out  of  these  extraordinary  circumstances.  The  Central  Depart- 
ment became  a  home  of  refuge  for  large  numbers  of  poor,  persecuted 
colored  men,  women,  and  children,  many  of  whom  were  wounded  and 
sick,  and  all  of  whom  were  helpless,  exposed,  and  poor.  Mr.  John  H. 
Keyser,  with  his  accustomed  philanthropy,  volunteered,  and  was  appointed 
to  superintend  these  wretched  victims  of  violence  and  prejudice,  and  has 
devoted  unwearied  days  to  the  duty.  The  pitiable  condition  of  these 
poor  people  appeals  in  the  strongest  terms  to  the  Christian  charity  of  the 
benevolent  and  humane.  The  members  of  the  force  will  do  an  accepta- 
ble service  by  calling  the  attention  to  their  condition  of  those  who  are 
able  and  willing  to  contribute  in  charity  to  their  relief. 

On  the  10th  of  August,  the  Inspectors,  after  receipt  of  the  reports 
from  the  different  Captains,  submitted  the  following  to  the  Police  Com- 
missioners, with  which  the  "  Record"  will  close. 

Office  of  Inspectors,        ) 
New  York,  August  10th,  1863.  J 
John  A.  Kennedy,  Esq.,  Superintendent: 

Sir, — The  undersigned  respectfully  beg  leave  to  submit  the  reports 
of  the  several  Captains  of  the  Metropolitan  Police  who  were  in  command 
of  precincts  within  the  City  of  New  York  during  the  memorable  Week 
of  Riot,  viz. :  from  July  13th  to  July  18th,  both  inclusive.  Also,  reports 
of  several  Sergeants,  comprising  a  detailed  account  of  the  duty  performed 
by  their  respective  commands  during  the  same  week  ;  one  by  Sergeant 
Brackett  of  the  Twenty-first  Precinct,  who,  by  the  order  of  President 
Acton,  had  command  of  that  precinct  from  the  morning  of  the  16th 
of  July,  Captain  Palmer  having  reported  sick  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
preceding  day ;  others  who  had  separate  commands  requiring  a  separate 
report. 

The  reports  of  the  Captains  and  Sergeants  are  so  elaborate  and  full 
in  detail  that  the  undersigned  do  not  deem  it  necessary  to  make  separate 
reports. 

Each  report  is  a  truthful  record  of  the  arduous  duties  most  cheer- 
fully and  heroically  performed  by  their  commands,  and  in  the  aggregate 
will  form  a  most  creditable  and  honorable  epoch  in  the  history  of  the 
Metropolitan  Police. 

The  undersigned  take  this  occasion  to  tender  their  sincere  thanks 


DURING  THE  RIOT  WEEK,  JULY,  1863.  Ill 

to  the  Captains,  Sergeants,  and  Patrolmen  of  the  Metropolitan  Police 
for  the  faithful  manner  in  which  they  performed  the  most  trying  duty 
that  was  ever  performed  by  any  police  force  in  this  country,  and  was 
probably  never  excelled  by  the  police  force  of  any  city  in  the  world.  We 
cannot,  in  a  report  of  this  kind  point  out  single  instances  of  bravery,  cool- 
ness and  endurance,  where  it  was  shown  so  universally :  And  besides, 
while  single  instances  came  under  our  immediate  observation  which  would 
be  in  consonance  with  our  feelings  to  refer  to  them,  yet  we  fear  would 
be  doing  injustice  to  others  equally  entitled  to  receive  the  same  meed  of 
praise.  We  were  placed  in  a  position  where  the  whole  field  had  to  be 
looked  over,  hence  we  refer  you  to  the  reports  alluded  to,  and  where  in 
many  instances  special  mention  is  made  of  meritorious  conduct. 

Two  of  the  undersigned,  however  (viz. :  Inspectors  Carpenter  and 
Dilks — Inspector  Leonard,  having  command  of  the  force  at  the  City  Hall, 
did  not  have  the  opportunity  of  witnessing  what  we  did)  cannot  in  justice 
pass  unnoticed  the  faithful  and  valuable  services  of  Drill-Instructor  Ser- 
geant T.  S.  Copeland.  He  was  with  us  at  the  Central  Office  from  the 
commencement  to  the  termination  of  the  riot,  and  greatly  facilitated  us  in 
forming  battalions  to  send  to  meet  the  mob.  He  accompanied  one  of  the 
undersigned  (Inspector  Carpenter)  in  all  the  attacks  he  made  upon  the 
rioters,  and  in  which  he  displayed  great  coolness  and  courage,  being 
always  in  advance,  and  demonstrated  the  excellent  state  of  discipline  he 
had  drilled  the  force  up  to. 

In  closing,  the  undersigned  wish  to  state  that  in  all  cases  where  they 
were  ordered  to  proceed  with  large  bodies  of  the  force  to  meet  and  repel 
the  mob,  whether  accompanied  with  military  or  not,  the  officers  and  men 
performed  their  whole  duty,  far  exceeding  our  most  sanguine  expectations. 

The  undersigned  cannot  close  this  brief  report  without  calling  your 
particular  attention  to  this  significant  fact,  that  out  of  a  body  of  a  little 
over  two  thousand  men  that  comprise  this  force  but  few,  very  few,  in 
any  manner  shrank  from  their  trying  duties.  This,  we  think,  will  stand 
out  as  a  most  honorable  mark  of  distinction  for  the  members  of  the 
Metropolitan  Police. 

DANIEL  CARPENTER, ) 

GEO.  W.  DILKS,  [  Inspectors. 

JAS.  LEONARD. 


Note. — The  Captains  of  the  several  precincts  made  full  and  interesting  reports  to  the  Commis- 
sioners of  the  duties  performed,  during  Riot  Week,  by  their  several  commands.  These  reports  have 
been  referred  to  for  the  purposes  of  this  compilation,  and  have  been  of  great  value  in  perfecting  it. 


112  SERVICES  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  POLICE 

THE  COURT,  JURIES,  AND  PROSECUTING  OFFICERS. 

Reference  to  the  course  of  Recorder  Hoffman,  the  Grand  and  Petit 
Juries,  and  the  Prosecuting  officers,  on  the  indictment  and  trial  of  rioters, 
at  the  August  Term  of  the  Court  of  General  Sessions — the  only  Court 
in  session  to  the  date  of  this  publication  at  which  the  Riot  cases  could  be 
tried — forms  an  appropriate  sequel  to  the  "  Record." 

The  Court  met  on  Monday,  August  Sd,  and  on  the  following  day  Re- 
corder Hoffman  delivered  his  charge.  It  was  eloquent  and  earnest ;  he 
used  no  modifying  language  in  speaking  of  the  crimes  which  had  been 
committed ;  no  shady  words  in  characterizing  the  criminals.  Those  who 
burn  asylums,  dwellings,  stores,  are  guilty  of  arson  ;  those  who  plunder 
are  thieves;  aj-ioter  is  an  enemy  of  society,  and  the  punishment  due  a  mur- 
derer is  death.  To  each  and  all  of  these  classes  the  penalty  which  the 
law  affixes,  would,  he  said,  be  sternly  meted  out.  In  calling  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Grand  Jury  to  the  riots,  and  urging  them  to  a  thorough,  fear- 
less examination  of  all  cases  of  participation  brought  before  them,  the 
Recorder  used  the  following  language : 

"  We  stand  here,  to-day,  not  as  individuals,  but  as  public  officers 
charged  with  grave  responsibilities.  Let  us  not  shrink  from  them.  Let 
us  remember  that  we  are  not  partisans,  but  sworn  officers  of  the  law,  de- 
termined at  all  hazards  to  enforce  law  and  preserve  order,  to  protect  the 
innocent  and  punish  the  guilty." 

The  Grand  Jury  entered  upon  their  laborious  duties  with  the  same 
spirit  which  characterized  the  charge,  and  performed  them  fearlessly  and 
faithfully. 

The  District  Attorney  and  his  associates,  Samuel  B.  Garvin,  in  Court, 
and  Orlando  L.  Stewart,  conducted  the  prosecutions,  and  urged  them 
to  success  with  unwearying  energy  and  zeal.  Of  the  twenty  persons 
tried  on  charge  of  being  concerned  in  the  riots,  nineteen  were  convicted. 

The  Petit  Juries  participated  in  the  determination  pervading  the 
officials  of  the  Court  to  thoroughly  discharge  their  duty,  and,  by  their  un- 
hesitating action  and  just  findings,  relieved  the  Jury  Box  of  the  imputa- 
tions so  often  made  against  it. 

Recorder  Hoffman  was  stern  and  inflexible  in  his  sentences.  The 
aggregate  time  of  imprisonment  for  the  rioters  sentenced  at  thisvterm, 
which  continued  but  ten  days,  was  nearly  one  hundred  years. 

The  action  of  this  Court  has  satisfied  the  lawless  that  for  them  there 
is  no  more  license,  and  has  done  more  to  encourage  the  police,  to  strengthen 
them  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty,  than  even  the  approval  and  laudations 
which  have  been  showered  upon  them.  It  has  also  renewed  the  confi- 
dence of  the  community,  and  assured  them  that  for  crime  there  is  pun- 
ishment, and  for  criminals  its  certainty. 


APPENDIX. 


The  following  are  some  of  the  most  atrocious  cases  of  murder  perpe- 
trated by  the  rioters.  The  facts  relating  to  some  of  the  colored  victims 
are  condensed  from  the  interesting  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Mer- 
chant's Relief  Committee  : 

MURDER  OF  COL.   O'BRIEN. 

The  murder  of  Col.  H.  J.  O'Brien,  by  the  mob,  on  the  afternoon  of 
Tuesday  of  Riot  Week,  was  characterized  by  appalling  barbarities. 
After  the  battle  between  the  police  under  Inspector  Carpenter,  in  the 
Second  Avenue,  and  after  the  police  had  left,  Col.  O'Brien,  in  command 
of  two  companies,  11th  Regiment,  N.  Y.  Vols.,  arrived  at  Thirty-fourth 
Street  and  Second  Avenue.  The  rioters  had  reassembled,  a  collision  en- 
sued, and  the  military  opened  fire.  The  mob  dispersed,  and  Col.  O'Brien, 
leaving  his  command,  walked  up  the  avenue  a  short  distance,  entering  a 
drug  store.  Returning  to  the  street  in  a  few  moments,  he  was  instantly 
surrounded  by  a  vengeful  and  relentless  crowd,  which  had  re-collected,  at 
once  knocked  down,  beaten  and  mutilated  shockingly  till  insensible.  He 
thus  lay  for  upwards  of  an  hour,  breathing  heavily,  and  on  any  move- 
ment receiving  kicks  and  stones.  He  was  then  taken  by  the  heels,  dragged 
around  the  street,  and  again  left  lying  in  it.  For  some  four  hours  did 
he  thus  lay,  subjected  to  infamous  outrages,  among  them  the  occasional 
thrusting  of  a  stick  down  his  throat  when  gasping  for  breath.  No  one 
who  did,  not  seek  to  feed  his  brutality  upon  him  was  allowed  to  approach 
him.  One  man  who  sought  to  give  him  a  drop  of  water  was  instantly 
set  upon  and  barely  escaped  with  his  life.  While  still  breathing,  he  was 
taken  into  the  yard  of  his  own  house,  near  the  scene,  and  there  the  most 
revolting  atrocities  were  perpetrated,  underneath  which  the  life,  that 
had  so  tenaciously  clung  to  him,  fled.  No  one  could  have  recognized  his 
remains.  The  murderers,  satiated  with  their  excess  of  fiendishness,  left, 
and  the  body  was  allowed  to  be  removed  to  Bellevue  Hospital. 

COLORED   VICTIMS  OF  THE  RIOT. 

Wm.  Henry  Nichols  (colored).  Nichols  resided  at  No.  147  East 
Twenty -eighth  St.  Mrs.  Staat,  his  mother,  was  visiting  him.  On  Wednes- 
day, July  15th,  at  3  o'clock,  the  house  was  attacked  by  a  mob  with  showers 
of  bricks  and  stones.     In  one  of  the  rooms  was  a  woman  with  a  child  but 


114  APPENDIX. 

three  days  old.  The  rioters  broke  open  the  door  with  axes  and  rushed 
in.  Nichols  and  his  mother  fled  to  the  basement ;  in  a  few  moments  the 
babe  referred  to  was  dashed  by  the  rioters  from  the  upper  window  into 
the  yard,  and  instantly  killed.  The  mob  cut  the  water  pipes  above,  and 
the  basement  was  being  deluged ;  ten  persons,  mostly  women  and  children, 
were  there,  and  they  fled  to  the  yard ;  in  attempting  to  climb  the  fence 
Mrs.  Staats  fell  back  from  exhaustion ;  the  rioters  were  instantly  upon 
her  ;  her  son  sprang  to  her  rescue,  exclaiming,  "  Save  my  mother,  if  you 
kill  me."  Two  ruffians  instantly  seized  him,  each  taking  hold  of  an  arm, 
while  a  third,  armed  with  a  crow-bar,  calling  upon  them  to  hold  his  arms 
apart,  deliberately  struck  him  a  savage  blow  on  the  head,  felling  him  like 
a  bullock.     He  died  in  the  N.  Y.  Hospital  two  days  after. 

James  Costello  (col'd). — James  Costello,  No.  97  West  Thirty-third 
Street,  killed  on  Tuesday  morning,  July  14th.  Costello  was  a  shoe- 
maker, an  active  man  in  his  business,  industrious  and  sober.  He  went  out 
early  in  the  morning  upon  an  errand,  was  accosted,  and  finally  was  pur- 
sued by  a  powerful  man.  He  ran  down  the  street ;  endeavored  to  make 
his  escape ;  was  nearly  overtaken  by  his  pursuer ;  in  self-defence  he 
turned  and  shot  the  rioter  with  a  revolver.  The  shot  proved  to  be  mor- 
tal ;  he  died  two  days  after.  Costello  was  immediately  set  upon  by  the 
mob.  They  first  mangled  his  body,  then  hanged  it.  They  then  cut  down 
his  body  and  dragged  it  through  the  gutters,  smashing  it  with  stones,  and 
finally  burnt  it.  The  mob  then  attempted  to  kill  Mrs.  Costello  and  her 
children,  but  she  escaped  by  climbing  fences  and  taking  refuge  in  a  police 
station-house. 

Abraham  Franklin  (colored). — This  young  man,  who  was  murdered 
by  the  mob  on  the  corner  of  Twenty-seventh  Street  and  Seventh  Avenue, 
was  a  quiet,  inoffensive  man,  of  unexceptionable  character.  He  was  a 
cripple,  but  supported  himself  and  his  mother,  being  employed  as  a 
coachman.  A  short  time  previous  to  the  assault,  he  called  upon  his 
mother  to  see  if  anything  could  be  done  by  him  for  her  safety.  The  old 
lady  said  she  considered  herself  perfectly  safe ;  but  if  her  time  to  die  had 
come,  she  was  ready  to  die.  Her  son  then  knelt  down  by  her  side,  and 
implored  the  protection  of  Heaven  in  behalf  of  his  mother.  The  old 
lady  said  that  it  seemed  to  her  that  good  angels  were  present  in  the 
room.  Scarcely  had  the  supplicant  risen  from  his  knees,  when  the  mob 
broke  down  the  door,  seized  him,  beat  him  over  the  head  and  face  with 
fists  and  clubs,  and  then  hanged  him  in  the  presence  of  his  parent. 
While  they  were  thus  engaged  the  military  came  and  drove  them  away, 
cutting  down  the  body  of  Franklin,  who  raised  his  arm  once  slightly  and 
gave  a  few  signs  of  life.  The  military  then  moved  on  to  quell  other 
riots,  when  the  mob  returned  and  again  suspended  the  now  probably 
lifeless  body  of  Franklin,  cutting  out  pieces  of  flesh,  and  otherwise  shock- 
ingly mutilating  it. 

Augustus  Stuart  (colored). — Died  at  Hospital,  Blackwell's  Island, 
July  22,  from  the  effects  of  a  blow  received  at  the  hands  of  the  mob,  on 
Wednesday  evening  of  Riot  Week.  He  had  been  badly  beaten  previously 
by  a  band  of  rioters,  and  was  frightened  and  insane  from  the  effects  of  the 
blows  which  he  had  received.     He  was  running  toward  the  Arsenal 


APPENDIX.  115 

(State),  Seventh  Avenue  and  Thirty-seventh  Street,  for  safety,  when  he 
was  overtaken  by  the  mob,  from  whom  he  received  his  death  blow. 

Peter  Heuston. — Peter  Heuston,  sixty -three  years  of  age,  a  Mohawk 
Indian,  dark  complexion,  but  straight  hair,  and  for  several  years  a  resident 
of  New  York,  proved  a  victim  to  the  riots.  Heuston  served  with  the 
New  York  Volunteers  in  the  Mexican  war.  He  was  brutally  attacked 
and  shockingly  beaten,  on  the  13th  of  July,  by  a  gang  of  ruffians,  who 
thought  him  to  be  of  the  African  race  because  of  his  dark  complexion. 
He  died  within  four  days,  at  Bellevue  Hospital,  from  his  injuries. 

Jeremiah  Robinson  (colored). — He  was  killed  in  Madison  near 
Catharine  Street.  His  widow  stated  that  her  husband,  in  order  to  es- 
cape, dressed  himself  in  some  of  her  clothes,  and,  in  company  with  her- 
self and  one  other  woman,  left  their  residence  and  went  toward  one  of 
the  Brooklyn  ferries.  Robinson  wore  a  hood,  which  failed  to  hide  his 
beard.  Some  boys,  seeing  his  beard,  lifted  up  the  skirts  of  his  dress, 
which  exposed  his  heavy  boots.  Immediately  the  mob  set  upon  him, 
and  the  atrocities  they  perpetrated  are  so  revolting  that  they  are  unfit 
for  publication.  They  finally  killed  him,  and  threw  his  body  into  the 
river.  His  wife  and  her  companion  ran  up  Madison  street,  and  escaped 
across  the  Grand  Street  Ferry  to  Brooklyn. 

William  Jones  (colored).- — A  crowd  of  rioters  in  Clarkson  Street, 
in  pursuit  of  a  negro,  who  in  self-defence  had  fired  on  some  rowdies,  met 
an  inoffensive  colored  man  returning  from  a  bakery  with  a  loaf  of  bread 
under  his  arm.  They  instantly  set  upon  and  beat  him  and,  after  nearly 
killing  him,  hung  him  to  a  lamp-post.  His  body  was  left  suspended 
for  several  hours.  A  fire  was  made  underneath  him,  and  he  was  literally 
roasted  as  he  hung,  the  mob  reveling  in  their  demoniac  act.  Recog- 
nition of  the  remains,  on  their  being  recovered,  was  impossible  ;  and  two 
women  mourned  for  upwards  of  two  weeks,  in  the  case  of  this  man,  for 
the  loss  of  their  husbands.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  the  husband  of  one 
of  the  mourners,  to  her  great  joy,  returned  like  one  recovered  from  the 
grave.  The  principal  evidence  which  the  widow,  Mary  Jones,  had  to 
identify  the  murdered  man  as  her  husband,  was  the  fact  of  his  having  a 
loaf  of  bread  under  his  arm,  he  having  left  the  house  to  get  a  loaf  of 
bread  a  few  minutes  before  the  attack. 

Joseph  Reed  (colored). — This  was  a  lad  of  seven  years  of  age,  re- 
siding at  No.  147  East  Twenty-eighth  Street,  with  an  aged  grandmother 
and  widowed  mother.  On  Wednesday  morning  of  the  fearful  week,  a 
crowd  of  ruffians  gathered  in  the  neighborhood,  determined  on  a  work  of 
plunder  and  death.  They  attacked  the  house,  stole  everything  they  could 
carry  with  them,  and,  after  threatening  the  inmates,  set  fire  to  it.  The 
colored  people,  who  had  the  sole  occupancy  of  the  building,  fled  in  con- 
fusion into  the  midst  of  the  gathering  crowd.  And  then  the  child  was 
separated  from  his  guardians.  His  youth  and  evident  illness,  even  from 
the  devils  around  him,  it  would  be  thought,  should  have  insured  his 
safety.  But  no  sooner  did  they  see  his  unprotected,  defenceless  condition, 
than  a  gang  of  fiendish  men  seized  him,  beat  him  with  sticks,  and 
bruised  him  with  heavy  cobble-stones.    But  one,  ten-fold  more  the  servant 


116  APPENDIX. 

of  Satan  than  the  rest,  rushed  at  the  child,  and  with  the  stock  of  a  pistol 
struck  him  on  the  temple  and  felled  him  to  the  ground.  A  noble  young 
fireman,  by  the  name  of  John  F.  Govern,  of  No.  39  Hose  Company,  in- 
stantly came  to  the  rescue,  and,  single-handed,  held  the  crowd  at  bay. 
Taking  the  wounded  and  unconscious  boy  in  his  arms,  he  carried  him  to 
a  place  of  safety.  The  terrible  beating  and  the  great  fright  the  poor  lad 
had  undergone  was  too  much  for  his  feeble  frame ;  he  died  on  the  follow- 
ing Tuesday. 

Joseph  Jackson  (colored),  aged  19  years,  living  in  West  Fifty-third 
Street,  near  Sixth  Avenue,  was  in  the  industrious  pursuit  of  his  humble 
occupation  of  gathering  provender  for  a  herd  of  cattle,  and  when  near 
the  foot  of  Thirty-fourth  Street,  East  River,  July  15,  was  set  upon  by 
the  mob,  killed,  and  his  body  thrown  into  the  river. 

Samuel  Johnson  (colored). — On  Tuesday  night  Johnson  was  attacked 
near  Fulton  Ferry  by  a  gang  who  mercilessly  beat  and  left  him  for  dead. 
A  proposition  was  made  to  throw  him  into  the  river,  but  for  some 
reason  the  murderers  took  fright  and  fled.  He  was  taken  by  some  citi- 
zens to  his  home,  and  died  the  next  day. 

Williams  (colored). — He  was  attacked  on  the  corner  of  Le  Roy 

and  Washington  Streets,  on  Tuesday  morning,  July  14th,  knocked  down, 
a  number  of  men  jumped  upon,  kicked,  and  stamped  upon  him  until  in- 
sensible. One  of  the  murderers  knelt  on  the  body  and  drove  a  knife 
into  it ;  the  blade  being  too  small  he  threw  it  away  and  resorted  to  his 
fists.  Another  seized  a  huge  stone,  weighing  near  twenty  pounds,  and 
deliberately  crushed  it  again  and  again  on  to  the  victim.  A  force  of 
police,  under  Captain  Dickson,  arrived  and  rescued  the  man,  who  was  con- 
veyed to  the  New  York  Hospital.  He  was  only  able  to  articulate 
"  Williams  "  in  response  to  a  question  as  to  his  name,  and  remained  in- 
sensible thereafter,  dying  in  a  few  days. 

Ann  Derrickson. — This  was  a  white  woman,  the  wife  of  a  colored 
man,  and  lived  at  No.  11  York  Street.  On  Wednesday,  July  15th,  the 
rioters  seized  a  son  of  deceased,  a  lad  of  about  twelve  years,  saturated 
his  clothes  and  hair  with  camphene,  and  then  procuring  a  rope, 
fastened  one  end  to  a  lamp-post,  the  other  around  his  neck,  and  were 
about  to  set  him  on  fire,  and  hang  him ;  they  were  interfered  with 
by  some  citizens  and  by  the  police  of  the  First  Ward,  and  their  diaboli- 
cal attempt  at  murder  frustrated.  While  Mrs.  Derrickson  was  at- 
tempting to  save  the  life  of  her  son  she  was  horribly  bruised  and  beaten 
with  a  cart  rung.  The  victim,  after  lingering  three  or  four  weeks,  died 
from  the  effects  of  her  injuries. 


APPENDIX.  117 


BURNING  OF  THE  COLORED  ORPHAN  ASYLUM. 

About  4  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  Monday,  July  13th,  a  mob  of 
some  three  thousand  attacked  the  Asylum  for  Colored  Orphans  on  Fifth 
Avenue.  The  main  building  was  four  stories,  with  wings  of  three  sto- 
ries, and  was  capable  of  accommodating  five  hundred  children.  With 
the  grounds,  it  extended  from  Forty-third  to  Forty-fourth  Street.  At 
the  time  the  mob  came  upon  it,  there  were,  besides  the  officers  and  mat- 
rons, over  two  hundred  children  in  it,  from  infancy  to  twelve  years  of 
age.  Superintendent  Wm.  E.  Davis  hurriedly  fastened  the  doors,  and 
while  the  mob  were  breaking  them  in  the  children  were  collected,  and 
then  escaped  by  the  rear  just  as  the  ruffians  had  effected  their  entrance 
in  front.  Those  entering  at  once  proceeded  to  ransack  and  pillage  every 
room  in  the  building.  Everything  that  could  be  was  stolen,  even  to 
the  dresses  and  trinkets  of  the  orphans.  What  could  not  be  carried  off 
was  destroyed.  Meantime  Chief  Engineer  Decker  reached  the  scene, 
and  forced  his  way  to  the  building.  In  attempting  to  address  the  mob, 
he  was  twice  knocked  down  and  finally  forced  into  Fifth  Avenue.  Here 
some  ten  firemen  joined  him,  and  it  was  resolved  to  save  the  Asylum  if 
possible.  They  boldly  forced  their  way  to  and  into  the  building.  Here 
they  were  joined  by  Assistant  Engineers  Lamb  and  Lewis.  The  chairs, 
desks,  &c,  had'  been  broken  up,  piled  in  different  parts  of  the  building, 
and  fires  had  been  kindled  on  the  first  and  second  floors.  The  firemen 
scattered  and  extinguished  all  of  them,  and  intimidated  the  rioters. 
Meanwhile  some  of  the  latter  had  succeeded  in  effectually  firing  the  loft 
in  every  part ;  the  demonstration  against  the  chief  and  his  small  band 
of  associates  had  become  too  formidable ;  to  save  the  building  was  im- 
possible, and  they  reluctantly  yielded  it  to  the  mob,  who,  with  exulting 
yells,  soon  saw  the  Asylum  wrapped  in  flames.  In  an  hour  and  a  half 
only  a  small  portion  of  the  walls  remained. 

The  firemen  who  acted  so  gallantly  with  the  Chief  and  his  Assistants 
were  members  of  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  No.  2,  Hose  Company 
No.  31,  Engine  Companies  Nos.  7,  9,  and  10. 

After  their  escape  from  the  building,  the  Orphans  were  hurried  in 
mournful  procession  to  the  Twentieth  Precinct,  Captain  Walling,  where 
they  were  sheltered  and  provided  for  until  their  removal  to  Blackwell's 
Island.  Except  the  clothes  they  wore,  not  an  article  was  saved  for  them. 
The  loss  to  the  Society  in  building,  furniture,  and  clothing  was  estimated 
at  $80,000. 


INDEX 


PAGE 

Commissioners 7 

Chief  Clerk 9 

Superintendent , 9 

Inspectors 12,  17,  20,  23 

Telegraph  Bureau 25 

Detective  Force '. 29 

First  Precinct 32 

Second  Precinct 34 

Third  Precinct 36 

Fourth  Precinct 38 

Fifth  Precinct 40 

Sixth  Precinct 42 

Seventh  Precinct 44 

Eighth  Precinct 46 

Ninth  Precinct 48 

Tenth  Precinct 49 

Eleventh  Precinct 50 

Twelfth  Precinct 52 

Thirteenth  Precinct 54 

Fourteenth  Precinct 55 

Fifteenth  Precinct 5*7 

Sixteenth  Precinct 61 

Seventeenth  Precinct , 63 

Eighteenth  Precinct 64 

Nineteenth  Precinct 67 

Twentieth  Precinct 68 

Twenty-first  Precinct VI 

Twenty-second  Precinct : 73 

Twenty -third  Precinct 74 

Twenty-fourth  Precinct 76 

Twenty-fifth  Precinct 78 

Twenty-sixth  Precinct 81 

Twenty-seventh  Precinct 86 

Twenty-eighth  Precinct 90 

Twenty -ninth  Precinct 93 

Thirtieth  Precinct .  96 

Thirty-first  Precinct 97 

Thirty-second  Precinct 98 

Sanitary  Police , 100 

Drill  Officer 103 

Superintendent  and  Inspectors'  Offices 105 

Brooklyn  Precincts 105 

Brig.-Gen.  Harvey  Brown 107 

Commissioners'  Address  to  Force,  and  acknowledgment  to  the  Military  . . . . , 107 

Inspectors'  Report 110 

Court,  Juries,  and  Prosecuting  Officers 112 

The  Murders 113 

Burning  of  the  Colored  Orphan  Asylum 117 


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